POSTPONING ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 12

POSTPONING ELECTIONS.

' Sir, —In view of all the talk of Parliament prolonging its own existence, can you inform the public what rights it may have in the matter ? I regard the present Parliament as the poorest, and the problems it has to solve the gravest, in the history of New Zealand. And the present Ministry I believe to be the greatest collection of incompetents that ever fluked the chance to misgovern this country. Can they of their own self-will retain their power and pay without any refer ence to their supposed masters—the electors ? In the present serious condition of our affairs the constituencies would probably be prepared to return to Parliament more responsible representatives than at last election. Anyhow, they could not do worse. The pretence of avoiding the cost of an election is on all fours with the pretence of avoiding the cost of the regular quinquennial census, which was a mere excuse for retaining for the South Island tho two seats it would have lost to" the North Island had the census been taken. Elector.

[The life of a House of Representatives is limited to three years by statute, but there is no reason to doubt that it can be prolonged legally if Parliament so decides. It must be done by Act of Parliament, i.e., passed by both the House and the Council, and' signed by the GovernorGeneral. The •war-time House elected in 1914 was continued for five years by two separate extensions of a year each. The law as it stands reads:—"Every House of Representatives shall, unless the General Assembly is sooner dissolved, continue for a period of three years computed from the day fixed for the return of the writs issued for choosing such House, and no longer." —Editor, Herald.]

Sir, —There has been a great deal of comment on the saving of expense should the general elections be postponed. The actual facts show that any postponement for a period of one year will greatly increase the cost. The large amount already spent on the compilation and printing of the main rolls would be entirely wasted. When it is known that in many cases the cost of printing the main roll alone for each electorate is £2OO, it will readily be seen that a big sum would be thrown away should the work have to be carried out again next year. As other costs of a general election provide work for many temporary unemployed, and the major expenses having already been incurred, there Js no argument for postponement on the' score of expense. Eighty Reasons.