THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18760, 13 January 1923, Page 8

THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

It is suggested in a telegram which we publish this morning that the special session of Parliament, which the uncertainty in the political situation renders desirable and necessary, "may not be held as early as has been expected. The reason for the postponement that is hinted at is that .tbe election peti-

tions will not liavo been by the middle of next month. It does not seem to ns that the possibility that one or both of the petitions may bring about a disturbance of the declared result of the polling at the General Election constitutes an overwhelmingly powerful reason for a postponement of the meeting of Parliament. If,- for instance, a petition should lead to the unseating of a member in circumstances that would require a fresh election, is it to be contended that the session should be postponed until after that election is held? The answer to this must, we suggest, certainly be in the negative. It may be inconvenient that Parliament should be summoned to meet while its final composition remains in doubt, but against this inconvenience must be set the constitutional irregularity that is involved in the performance of Ministerial acta by a Government which is not definitely assured of the support of a majority of the House. One of our contemporaries labours the argument that Mr Massey should call Parliament together as speedily as possible in order that the Government may submit itself to the test of a division on the question of its retention of office. It should be sufficient to point out that it is not for Mr Massey to decide when Parliament shall meet. As a matter of constitutional practice the Governor-General accepts advice only from a Government which possesses the confidence of Parliament. It is in order that constitutional practice may be followed that an early session is desirable.