GENERAL ELECTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1943, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION

SPECULATION AS TO DATE SESSION LIKELY TO EXTEND OVER THREE WEEKS. SOME MEMBERS RETIRING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Since the House of Representatives accepted the motion of the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, for a dissolution of Parliament and a general election this year, the chief topics in the lobbies have been the probable date of the election and its outcome. Already the prophets are entering the field of speculation. The early decision to determine the life of the present Parliament was somewhat unexpected, and it is likely to dominate the trend of the debates in the present sitting, which is expected to extend over the next three weeks. There is much support for the belief that the election will not be held till November. Cognisance is taken of the military situation in Europe by those who are attempting to predict events. They point out that the heat of operations will be greatest during the northern hemisphere’s summer and autumn, and it is unlikely that, as mentioned by the Prime Minister in the House, there will be any desire to hold an election while casualty lists are coming through. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, does not intend to go overseas as a member of the Dominion delegation to the Empire Parliamentary Conference in Britain in view of the impending election. NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION. Apart from the changes the election may make in the personnel of the House, several constituencies will be represented in the next Parliament by new members due to the retirement from politics of the sitting representatives. Members who have indicated that they do not intend to seek reelection are Mr Forbes (Opposition, Hurunui), Mr Cobbe (Opposition, Manawatu), Sir Alfred Ransom (Opposition, Pahiatua), Mr Dickie (Opposition, Patea), Mr Lee Martin (Government, Raglan), Dr. McMillan (Government, Dunedin West), and Mr Wilkinson (Independent, Egmont). It is expected that all the other members of the House will seek re-election. A long record of service stands to the credit of Mr Forbes, who is a former Prime Minister. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1908, and with the exception of Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition, Eastern Maori), has sat in the House longer than any other member. MEMBERS OVERSEAS. Three members are overseas with the armed forces. They are Brigadier Hargest (Opposition, Awarua), who is a prisoner of war in Italy, Major Macdonald (Opposition, Mataura) and Major Skinner (Government, Motueka), who are serving with the New Zealand Division in the Middle East. Aircraftman Moncur (Government, Rotorua) and Sergeant Macfarlane (Government, Christchurch South) are back in New Zealand after service overseas, and Captain McCombs (Government, Lyttelton) and Lieutenant Cotterill (Government, Wanganui) are on military service in the Dominion. Early in the war an arrangement was made between the Government and Opposition ..parties whereby the opposing party would not contest seats held by sitting members serving overseas, and if this understanding obtains at the general election it is not thought that it will be extended to apply to members in uniform in New Zealand, even though they may have served outside the Dominion:'