ELECTION IN BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20989, 28 September 1931, Page 7

ELECTION IN BRITAIN.

EARLY APPEAL EXPECTED

PARTY VIEWS DIFFER.

CABINET DISCUSSION TO-DAY,

By Telecrnph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Sept.. 26.

The Evening Standard asserts that the Prime Minister, Mr. MucDonald, will on September 50 announce the dissolution of Parliament arid an immediate general election on a policy of Empire tariffs.

This announcement of an almost immediate general election may be regarded as an intelligent anticipation. So much has been written on this subject in the past fortnight that it seems impossible that an election can be staved off.

With one or two notable exceptions, the press regards an appeal by the National Government, under the leadership of Mr. Mac Donald, as a necessary evil.

Mr. Mac Donald's return from his holiday had the effect of increasing this anticipation. Most of the commentators see in it the removal of all doubts of an early appeal to the country and endorse the Evening Standard's exclusive announcement regarding the date. Nevertheless, the position is not at all definite. It 'is reliably learned that the subject lias not been discussed by the Cabinet since the middle of last week, but it is almost certain to be the predominant issue at Monday's meeting, especially as the King is due to arrive in London on Tuesdav.

Conservative opinion seems more and more impressed with the urgency of an appeal to the electors. It is contended that a new Parliament is an essential condition of a policy of trade reconstruction.

Official Liberalism remains hostile and there appears to be no likelihood of an agreement between Conservatives and Liberals.

The real cleavage is between a tariff and free trade, in spite of the fact that an increasing number of Liberals is responding to Sir John Simon's lead. Meanwhile, Mr. Henderson, when speaking at Burnley, expressed his amazement that the country should be plunged into an election upheaval. The Conservatives, he said, in their hysterical demand for an election, had quickly forgotten the national emergency.

"To hold the election before Christmas would be autumn madness," said Sir Donald Mac Lean (Liberal), president of the Board of Education, who is in the Cabinet, in a speech in Cornwall. "What would become of the pound sterling during the election turmoil? Who would safeguard the country against the profiteer ? "As Mr. Snowden has announced that ho will not seek re-election, the nation will be deprived at a most critical moment of the services of its trusted financial guardian, who is a great international figure and is respected and feared abroad." POSITION AT SEAHAM. PRIME MINISTERS SEAT. DECISION OF LOCAL PARTY. (Received September 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 20. The Seaham branch of the Labour Patty lias decided to nominate a candidate at the next gcneial election. The present member is the Prime Minister. Mr. MacDonald, whom the local executive recently requested to resign. EMPIRE PURCHASES. SUPPORT FOR STERLING. MISAPPREHENSION CORRECTED. (Received September 27. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26. Sir Robert Home, M.P., a former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a letter to the press draws attention to the misapprehension that the appeal against foreign importations applies to Empire products. Sir Robert emphasises that the purchase of Dominion products is in no way detrimental to the pound sterling but, on the contrary, is most advantageous, as the Dominions arc Britain's best customers.