BRITISH POLITICS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 787, 18 August 1916, Page 10

BRITISH POLITICS.

THE ELECTION QUESTION. | SOLDIERS' CLAIM TO VOTE. Bu Cable. — Press inundation — Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, August 16. ! In the House of Commons, on the: second reading of the Register Bill, \ Sir Edward Carson said that if the | elections were held during the war period, the Parliament so elected I would have to conduct the peace j negotiations and frame an after-the-1 war policy. The men serving with : the Colours, and also the munition . workers and the soldiers at Home, would be disfranchised. These men had xi special claim to a voice in: training peace conditions and an afteivthe-war policy. He insisted ■ on pressing for a Eill or machinery which would enable them to vote. He saw no difficulty about soldiers in the field polling their votes. Australia, New Zealand, and British Columbia had made arrangements for such a contingency. Sir John Simon advocated a simple j adult suffrage for a Parliament of reconstruction. j Mr Asquith deprecated reviving futile controversies when our armies were approaching victory. It was necessary to secure a better register! without delay, and devote attention! to the working out of a scheme to j create a Parliament after the war j ; adequate to the great responsibilities j it would have to meet. He agreed j that the soldiers and the sailors should be consulted as to the composition of this Parliament, but at j present that was impossible. The Government's new register was in- J tended to continue only for the;

period of the war, and for the few transitional months after lhc war. Several members supported Sir Edward Carson's suggestion that the Government should introduce a separate Bill after the recess, and thus enable the soldiers' and sailors' claims to be discussed. Mr Bonar Law promised that the Government would not proceed with the Bill further before the autumn session. The Bill was read a second time. The Parliament and Local Elections Bill was read a second time. Sir Edward Carson gave notice of amendments to be moved reducing the eight months' extension proposed to six months, and also providing that if the general elections occur on the old. register, the new Parliament's life shall be only two years.