WELLINGTON NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 36

WELLINGTON NEWS

AN EARLY SESSION OF PARLIAMENT. (Fhom Ooe Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, January 24. A few people are still d*ing their best to discredit Mr Luke, who is almost certain to bo the Government nominee for Wellington North. Some of the most active in this business are men who, while they are now claiming to be friends of the Reform Party, probably never voted for the Reform.. Party in their lives. The posi tion is that Mr Luke is still the candidate most likely to win the _soat. At any rate, none of the opponents at present in the field has much chance of beating him. He is sure to bo opposed strongly. However, much will depend on the way in which the campaign is fought. There are indications that it will yet be necessary for the Prime Minister to go Homo to England again this year. If Mr Massey should have to go it is more than likely that Parliament will bo summoned early to deal with the urgent financial business for which Parliament has to be summoned every year. This session would be a short one, and for general purposes there would have to bo another meeting of Pai--liament later in the year, after Mr Massey had returned from Home. If there is to bo an early session, it will have to be convened ,quite soon. One of the questions that may have to be considered at the early session will be that of whether an election should be held this year. It must be considered at one ol the sessions. If the law remains iis it stands, there will be an election at the end of this year, but the reasons for tha postponement of 'the elcc'tions in tha first instance-still hold good, and it is possible that the Government will invito the House to agree to another postponement. Many people are clamouring for an election who, in fact, are not in the least anxious to- have one, but there is no doubt about the sincerity of the prohibition people in .their demand for a poll on the liquor issue, and they will object to another postponement. This is another question to be considered if it is decided that no election will be held this year.