NO GENERAL ELECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1740, 13 October 1917, Page 3

NO GENERAL ELECTION.

STRONG DECLARATION BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. ; “OUGHT TO BE HANGED.” “What about a General Election?” asked Mr Payne, as Sir Joseph Ward was nearing the concluding stages of his speech on the War Pensions Bill in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. “Anybody who Avants a General Election at lids time ought to be hanged,” retorted Sir Joseph Ward. “When men are being killed on the battlefield and soitoav is permeating the homes of thousands of people, is it not Avrong to talk about a General Election, which Avould cost ab'out £IOO,OOO and mean the dislocation of trade ? The men avlio talk about a General Election —and I say it Avithtiut offence —ought to be hanged. I say that at the present moment the men aaTio Avant to create political upheaval, or any other upheavals, in the country will seriously impair the possibility of carrying on the Avar to a successful end.” The only Ministry that could carry on successfully, he said, Avas a National Government, and it Avas the duty of Ministers and members to sink their personal feelings in the interests of the Dominion as a Avhole. He avus not afraid of a General Election. He believed in trusting the people, and it would be no satisfaction to him to see the member for Grey Lynn (Mr Payne) defeated at the polls. (Laughter).