IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14049, 20 July 1916, Page 3

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

GENERAL ELECTION PROBLEM. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received July 20, 1.35 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. In the House of Commons Mr Samuel moved that the Registration Committee report on the preparation of a new electoral register, including the troops. Jt would cost, li§ said, £300,000 and necessitate 20,000 canvassers. He deprecated a general election in war time. Tt was unlikely that Germany would grant an armistice to enable British troops to vote. ■Sir Edward Carson protested against the opera bouffe manner in which Mr Samuel treated the matter. He deprecated the belief that a general election was impossible in war time. The question of giving soldiers a vote has been solved in Australia and Canada. The proposed committee was a farce. Mr Winston Churchill described Mr Samuel's, speech as one long sneer. Mr Asquith stated that m view of the criticism^ he would withdraw the motion. He denied that . the Government, intended to delegate to a committee decision as to whether a general election was desirable in September when the present Parliament ends. He promised that the Government would consider the matter if possible and bring concrete proposals to the House.