PARLIAMENT’S END.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3358, 26 October 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT’S END.

NOT JUST YET. i> LATE ELECTIONS PROBABLE. ( SECOND BALLOT QUESTION. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 25. In the House this afternoon the Premier stated, in an interjection by way >of protest against the length of certain discussions, that it might be necessary to put off the elections until January. Later he returned to the subject, and talked of the possibility of an alteration of the law in order to fit. in with an unusually late election day. He said that under section 98 of the “Legislative Act, 1908,” the present Parliament would expire on November 20. The Governor’s warrant must be ‘ssued not later than November 29, and +he wiits are required to be issued not inter tnan December Ist, and to be returned not later than December 29, including the writs of the second ballots. The second ballot writs were returnable within ten days of the polls, in terms of section 12 of the Second Ballot Act, 1908. It was customary to dissolve Parliament prior to the date of its statutory expiry, and therefore the present Parliament should be dissolved two days before November 21. The second ballots, it would be seen, might run on to Christmas week, and almost into the New’ Year. Mr. Herdman: But the Governor can dissolve Parliament at any time after it rises.

The Premier replied that he did not know when the House would rise. They were further from winding up on next Saturday than they had appeared to he from winding up last Saturday. Mr. Hine: How many Bills have you brought down since then ?. The Premier went on to say that the position was very awkward, and it might be necessary to meet it by legislation. He had an amendment prepared for addition to the Legislative Amendment Bill, to provide that all second ballots should be held a week after the general election day, instead of several of them being field a fortnight after that day. .Mr. Massey: It would be a very good thing if it could be done. The Premier said lie thought it could be done. It was impossible at present to fix approximately the date of the general election, on'account of the difficulties which were real, and not imaginary.