GENERAL ELECTION A POSSIBILITY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 882, 7 December 1916, Page 7

GENERAL ELECTION A POSSIBILITY.

DIFFICULTY OF WORKING WITH OLD REGISTER.

DANGER OF INTERNAL STRIFE IN WAR TIME.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received December 7, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 6

The "Daily Telegraph" deeply regrets that it is impossible to settle the differences of Cabinet -without an open rupture. The King's Government must be carried on. If Mr Asquith served under Mr Bonar LaAv, it would only add new lustre to his already splendid record. Chatham served under Newcastle, and Canning and Castlereagh under Liverpool. Unity has been Great Britain's strength, and. it would be a tragedy if we were to palsy the conduct of a foreign war by a return to barren domestic conflicts."

Though it is recognised that a general election may be essential, the newspapers point out that the 1013 register has disfranchised .")() per cent, of civilians, who have changed their addresses or are lodgers, and all soldiers. Probably 4,000,000 voters have been disfranchised. An election under such circumstances would be a farce.

The "Daily Mail"' attacks Mr Asquith, Viscount Grey, and Mr Balfour, whom it designates as the "Haldane gang."

Mr Balfour, throughout the crisis, has been confined to a sick room with influenza. He has attended no meetings, "and has made no statement.

The "Daily Mail" states that Mr Asquith, on Sunday, gave a general assent to Mr Lloyd George's War Council proposal, and Mr Lloyd George, on Monday, received the assent in writing by the afternoon.

Mr Asquith is not prepared to make a statement in the House of Commons.