THE LYTTELTON SEAT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14832, 25 November 1913, Page 6

THE LYTTELTON SEAT.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ISSUE OF WRIT. (SP-eCIAT, TO "THIS mESS.") WELLINGTON, November 24. The stonewall proceedings in the House were interrupted for a short period this evening when tho Speaker of the House of Representatives took the Chair in connexion with the carrying out of necessary steps in regard to tho Lyttelton by-election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr G. Laurenr

Mr Speaker, having reported the receipt of the notification of tho death of the late member, the Prime Minister moved that Mr Speaker be directed to issue a warrant to tho Clerk of Writs to make out a writ for tho election of a successor to Mr Laurenson.

Sir Joseph Ward asked what course of action was to be "taken in regard to this election. , The election should not bo precipitated. If it were held this side of Christmas it might not givo sufficient time for the rolls to bo completed. Ho asked the Prime Minister whether it was intended that tho repeal of the second ballot should not come into operation until after tho election. The Second Ballot Act provided that it should not apply to any by-election prior to tho general election, and he thought that a similar provision should bo made in regard to the repeal of the second ballot. He intended to move an amendment in Committee an tho Legislature Bill to that effect. Mr Russell contrasted the action of the Government in respect to its haste as to this by-election, with the course that it followed in regard to tho Grey by-election earlier in the session. ' Mr Massey: That _ vacancy did not occur during the session. The law provided the courso that must be followed in regard to tho death of ordinary members, it' being tbe duty of Mr Speaker in such cases to issue a writ for tlie election of a new member. Tho law however, did not contemplate the death of Mr Speaker himself. Mr Russell: Nonsense! Mr Ma-ssev said that the delay in the caso of the" Grey hy-election was duo to tho fact that the rolls were not in Mr Russell: Are the Lyttelton rolls in order? , . Mr Massev: "I do not know; that is a matter for the Electoral Depart-

ment.'' Proceeding, Mr Mosser said in regard to the date of the Lvttdtoa : election, that the. writ would bo returnable within twenty-eight days. As to tha second ballot, the Government was not taking that matter into const-" deration at all; they were not going to delay the election on that account. Tho ' date would be fixed by tho Electoral Department. Tlie motion was carried.