LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1943, Page 3

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

EXTENSION IN BRITAIN. BILLS READ SECOND TIME WITHOUT DIVISION. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 26. The Home Secretary, Mr. Morrison, making a second-reading speech on the Prolongation of Parliament Bill in the House of Commons, said that this was being done for the fourth year in succession and that substantially the same considerations obtained this year in favour of the Bill. It was fully recognised by the Government and the House, he said, that the prolongation of the life of Parlia- "■ ment was a serious constitutional step, and it was right that it should be so regarded. For that reason the prolongation of Parliament must be subject to periodical review, and the Act lasted only for one year. Former considerations which still applied were difficulties of registration and the volume of manpower involved in holding a general election. Another consideration was that it would be difficult to find an issue on which to fight election’s, as the country was united regarding the prosecution of the war and he believed the House and the country were disposed to feel that taking it by and large, the Government wa.j not making a bad job of the war. •Another factor was that raiding might begin again on a large scale and interfere with the holding of a general election under satisfactory conditions. A final consideration was that a general election would of itself prejudice the conduct of the war. In the course of the debate, Sir Percy Harris (Liberal) said that the House had a special responsibility to the public to show that it was using the power it was taking on itself to safeguard the public interest and secure that the next Parliament was elected on as representative a basis as human ingenuity could devise. Mr. G. R. Strauss (Labour) said that if Parliament was to be prolonged another year it must give its attention to the discussion of post-war plans for the future of the country. »

For the purpose of bringing the. pre-

sent electoral register up to date, Mr. Morrison also moved the second reading of the Parliamentary (Elections and Meetings) Bill. Mr. Morrison said that the present register for Parliamentary elections was four years out of date and during this period large population moves had occurred and there might be still greater movements after the war. The Bill would give an even more up-to-date register than before the war. Both Bills were given a second reading without division.