SHOULD THERE BE AN ELECTION?

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 257, 8 October 1931, Page 3

SHOULD THERE BE AN ELECTION?

(To the Editor.) Si,.__Tlie possibility of the Parlia- I mentary elections not being held tills j year is a matter which is now exercising the minds of the. great majority of the electors throughout New Zealand, and, though the general consensus of opinion is that Parliamentarians should not, unless in times of .-rave national peril, vote themselves

Into office and authority beyond the time stipulated by the laws of the | country, such a course would, at the> present time, have the approval ot public opinion generally. There are, of course, many who strenuously oppose such action being- taken by the present, Coalition Government, claiming that it is a breach of faith and a violation of a sacred democratic principle—The voice of the people must, be heard, the electors should- decide . who shall govern and what the policy j and the Government shall be. It is , safe to say that this fact is appmci- , ated by the new Government —that they realise the seriousness of the proposal, which, if acted upon, and they are not able to: fully justify their action, they will have created a rod for their own backs which their opponents will make full use of later on. The decision is in the hands ot the Government. They may apprise the Governor of the urgent necessity tor on extension of the life of the present Parliament beyond its elected period, and seek his sanction to postpone an appeal to the electors. To all who are sticklers for correct constitutional procedure, or who lack sufficient faith in the present representatives of the people to trust them to do the right thing-at a time of a grave national crisis, such a course would be nothing short of an outrage. The more practical citizen, however, would accept the decision with equanimity, realising that no Government to-day could be expected to waste its time stumping the country to prove its actions right, as in an endeavour to do so, it would be neglecting more important duties, which would Jeopardise the critical position still further and make futile any effort to restore the country to its equilibrium without unnecessary "delay. ' •'. As in business, so in politics, the most essential thing to do to-day, is to get along with your own job and trust the* other fellow to be getting along with his job. ..We are all too prone to-day to manage some other fellow's business, and at the same time neglect our own.—l am, etc., BACK TO WORK.