GENERAL ELECTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 September 1919, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTION.

QUESTIONS IN P:\RLIAIV'IENT.. MR MASSEY OUTIJINES WORK OF THE SESSION. WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. When the House met at 2.30, Sir Joseph .Ward asked the Premier without notice if the Preinier could inform the House what 10glSl{l‘i§iUl1 would be brought down this session; on \Vh3t date the General Election would be held; when the Financial Statement would be brought down; and when the scheme of soldiers’ gratuities \VOllld be placed before Ministers. Mr Massay‘, in reply» said it was ‘-difi‘iCul’fi give an answer to all; the questions asked at the present moment, There was no doubt the session would likely be short, but there was a certain amount of legislation that must be put through. This referred ‘particularlg? to finance. It would be a few days yet before the Minister of Defence Would be able to lay before the House the gratuities scheme, but he believed that’ when it was submitted to Parliament it would be found to meet with general approv.:ll. There had been so many pnomises made in this connection that something must be done. Railway legislation must be put on the St«atut‘e ‘Book, and there must be a. Lands Bill dealing mainly vxirh repatriation. A Mivfitig Bill was being prepared, and »a Coal Mines Bill must be brought down. There would be some Labour legislation, and there must be an effort made to deal with the housing question. Then they must deal with the question of v.'omen"s electoral status That would probably not take long, as he thought both Houses would pass it quite readily. Cost of living must be considered and there must be legislation on the subject of Samoa. This legisl.:lti.on would not deal with the subject of coloured labour in Samoa, but he hoped as loyal subjects of the Empire, there would be no refusal to accept the responsibility of accepting the mandate over the islands . As to the date of the General Election, he could not say; it was impracticable to fix that at this time. in all probability it would be held early in December, but if the House made satisfactory‘ progress with legislation put before it, 1 he hoped later on to be in -a.- positioni to make a more definite ann«ouncement| on the subject. The Premier said he’ hoped, whatever happened, that there would be no return to the old party‘ spirit. There had been much party politics in the country in the past, and he wanted to see a'mo:re reasonable‘ state of things. _ I Sis doseph Ward: I entirely agree‘ witth the right hon. gentleman I Mr Massey. I am glad to have the endorsement of the Lc-lader of the Opposition. Sis Joseph Ward: If the right hon. gentleman’ will take his "lead from me he will be alright. I

NORTH RUSSIA SITUATION.

MR CHURCHILL A’l"l‘.-\Cl{l‘Jl’)., ‘WHA.’I‘ His .lN'l‘EN'l‘ION3 ]‘.O*N.DON, Sept. 8_ In connection with the ‘l{.u_qgi;m Sim“. tion, the Daily Vlnlxpri-_~:_g 51,1g;C.;; out Mr]. r:r:-hill for connnent in politiv.:ll and military clubs. It pointed -out that General Ironside’s i.nter\'iew, dated June Ttli, .¢loubtl'ess repredentcd the Goveriimc-_nt's intention at the time, but the temper of the country has con; siderably Clizingefi. ‘The GOV'Cl":'lll1t‘.l]I has now given a. categorical assuraut-e regarding the OVttlCllLlllOll. 11 would mean. the downfall of the (,i()\"(‘l'}ll_nonf if Mr C‘-hurchill’ was allowed to initiate another Gallipoli conti'ar_\: in pledge. Some uattribute the Daily Express’g 31. tack to Lord Beaverbrook, who w-its largely responsible for the for-niiition or" the Coalition, but Lord Beaverbrool: is still ill. The general impression in newspaper circles is than the cainpaign is not connected with possible political developments. Nevertheless, it is possible thnt. some Minister who is aware that Mr Churchill is desirous of leaving; detachments of'British troops in North Russia wishes to put 3, spoke in Mr Cllurehill’s wheel. Military oflicers admit Major Sherwood Kelly’s bravery, but have not formed a high opinion of his judgment and ‘discretion in connection with difiicult. military -and poli_ tical problems. It is senii-officially stated that General Ironsidc-’s interview, as appeared .in the Archangel Gazette. was an offiCli3.‘l Russian Version. Inquiry has been instituted to ascertain how it passed for publication. The real idea was that the Russian forces should Cmr:~jv' out the scheme 'wi‘t'h Britisli :Is.<f>:taiiee.