ELECTIONS IN DOMINIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21227, 25 September 1940, Page 6

ELECTIONS IN DOMINIONS

In the opinion of fS he Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, there is no g« )od reason why the general elections in New Zealand should not be h€ id at the due date next year, and that opinion is probably supported bj a vast majority of the people of all political .parties. Mr Hamilton points out that elections hawe been held in Canada and Australia w. ithout any difficulty. On th e other hand it is expected that the ger ieral elections in Britain will be postponed indefinitely. It can be said without doubt that there are as good reasons for postponement t in Britain as there are for proceeding with the polls in New Zealanc 1. Britain’s position i? vastly different from that of the Dominions. To attempt to hold an ejection in the thick of the conflict would be ludicrous. Nor does thei e appear to be the slightest desire to exercise the vote. That is because the position is too serious- for politics and because a non-party lilinistry is functioning to the satisfaction of all. Canada, Australia arid New Zealand have so far raot adopted the principle of*political coalition for the conduct of the war; consequently, one or other of tine political parties is in the saddle in each of the Dominions. In such, circumstances, and because physical contact with the war is not so close as in Britain, there is a natural desire in the Dominions to enst the vote in a sane and unostentatious way.

The result of the polling in Australia is, as most peoplle expected, very indecisive. If it meann anything it is that a coalition should have been formed with the objective of unity in the prosecution of the war programme. It seems probable that even now a coalition will be ruecessary if continuous hair-spHitting is to be avoided. The people have cast their votes and probably feel the better for it, but they have demonstrated that allegiance is fairly evenly divided among the parties, with probably a ve*ry small majority for the present Government. From all the parties a sound and capable Ministry could be assembled which would give much added thrust to the Commonwealth’s war policy.