THE GENERAL ELECTION

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 4942, 16 September 1914, Page 4

THE GENERAL ELECTION

CONFERENCE OF LEADERS

Electric Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Before the orders of the day were called on in the House last night, the Premier said he had undertaken to make a statement to the House as to the date of the election. The matter was one that had given him and his colleagues and his supporters a considerable amount of anxiety. They had several conferences, and the conclusion that had been come to was that whatever was done, whethe elections were gone on with or not, it was desirable that the Leader of the Opposition and Government should be in agreement, and that the House should be unanimous on the point. It was therefore proposed to take the Leader of the Opposition into conference, and if necessary, several of the prominent members on both sides of the House. There was no desire to take a party advantage, and he proposed to ask Sir Joseph AY ard to meet him next morning. Sir Joseph Ward said he would be prepared to meet the Premier. AATiat he Mas most anxious to do was to avoid party clash at the present juncture, and he wanted to be assured that party organisation was not going on in a quiet way. It was most imports ant that the country should know the date of the election, and the Premier should take the responsibility of stating it. Reference was made from both . sides of the House to party meetings, and the matter was then dropped.