LAUGHTER IN PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1929, Page 9

LAUGHTER IN PARLIAMENT

ELECTORAL SYSTEM REVIEWED. LESS FREQUENT ELECTIONS PLAN. (By Wire —Parliamentary Reporter.) f Wellington, Last' Night. A suggestion that the Government might seriously consider the question of extending the time between general elections was made by Mr. R. A. Wright in the House of Representatives tonight. Mr. W r ight drew attention to the fact that last general election had cost the country over £75,000. In view of that expenditure he suggested the Government might consider the possibility of extending the time between elections, say, to four years. The chairman of committees, Mr. S. G. Smith, said, the matter was one for legislation and Mr.* Wright was therefore out of order in discussing it on the Estimates. Mr. Wright asked if the Minister in charge would say whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce legislation extending the life of Parliament to four years. Mr. D. Jones referred to an item of £lOOO for by-elections. •“Are we to understand that this is for a by-election that will result when a member of the United Party takes the High Commissionership ?” Mr. Jones asked amidst laughter. The chairman: “Order! Order!” Mr. Jones: “I was just a bit anxious about it and thought it might be possible to secure some useful information. The matter is viewed with a great deal of interest by members on this side of the House. Perhaps the Minister will be able to give the name of the member referred to.” (Laughter.) The Minister in charge of the Electoral Department, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, said last general election had been run very economically, and £16,000 had been saved as a result of the compulsory registration of electors and other economies. “I am sorry that the Standing Orders prevent my replying to the question asked by the member for Wellington Suburbs,” said Mr. Veitch amidst laughter, “otherwise I would be very glad to give a reply.” The Minister informed., the House he was looking into the possibilities of a voting machine which had been demonstrated to him, and lie intended to put the machine to a number’ of tests as soon as possible.