Untitled

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 163, 15 August 1914, Page 8

Some decision will require to be arrived at as soon as possible regarding the general elections, because if they are to be held at the usual time, the work of preparing the rolls must be completed, and the necessary arrangements made by the Registrars and rehiring officers. In some quarters there i>i a strong feeling in favour of postponement, but Ave do not think it is well grounded. Once the Expeditionary Forces are safely dispatched to the war, the Dominion will have done all that it in required to do in the present circumstances, and there is a good deal to be said in favour of resuming the normal life of the community. In Australia, j the elections are in progress, and | the polling takes place on Sepj tember •!. There is no less necesS sity in time of Avar, as there is in time | cf peace, for the party in poAves to re'piesent the majority of the people in the country, and the fact that the Empire is at Avar need not prevent the average elector saying who, in his opinion, should control and administer public affairs. There is also a very good reason for holding the elections in the fact that the census will be taken next year, and if there is a postponement till after the census there r vill have to be a redistribution of seats and a readjustment of boundaries, which means additional expense with- '• out serving any particularly useful purpose. It may be argued that there is nc. room for party differences in war time, and that our politicians would be j hi'inpercd in their respective campaigns; if they were not allowed to conduct them on traditional lines, but Ave think the public, would rather appreciate an election that was characterised by an abseiw-c of the party feeling that is usually associated with ascertaining the will of the people, and there is no j reason for supposing that the electors would exercise their votes with less intelligence and discretion because politicians for once chose' to speak and behave on the hustings like gentlemen.