MR. FRASER'S REPLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 114, 16 May 1942, Page 6

MR. FRASER'S REPLY

MANIFESTO ENDORSED

NATIONAL SOLIDARITY

"I can assure you that I appreciate the very great importance of the representations you are making on behalf of the Returned Services Association," said Mr. Fraser, replying to the deputation. Mr. Fraser said he felt the manifesto would appeal to every citizen of New Zealand who appreciated the present serious and dangerous situation for New Zealand and its people.

It was unthinkable to him, Mr. Fraser said, that they, in any of their capacities, should proceed as they would do in peacetime. He personally had a great responsibility as Prime Minister in the present difficult times, and he considered-it his duty to give the most serious consideration to representations such as those made by the N.Z.R.S.A. He had already indicated on several occasions where he stood on the question of national unity, and there was no length to which he would not go personally to achieve full and complete unity. There had been difficulties encountered—difficulties inherent in the situation. The N.Z.R.S.A. proposals were put forward to overcome those difficulties and to achieve in fact and in reality that unity and national solidarity which were absolutely essential it they were to achieve victory.

He therefore found himself in agreement with every word in the manifesto, and he believed when he said that that he was voicing the sentiments of-all the people of the country. The National Executive of the' Labour Party and the caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party gave earnest consideration to the N.Z.R.S.A. representations and both agreed very strongly to support them. Therefore, he could speak for a united Labour Party, indeed Labour movement, including those representative of the trade union section, and say that in the proposals they saw great prospects of achieving that unity in the country's war effort that they deemed so absolutely necessary. CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION. Mr. Fraser said he was not going to minimise the difficulties that would arise in the way of implementing the proposals. A constitutional question which would have to be examined j very closely, but which he did not think was insuperable, was that of asking persons who were no;, members of the Legislature to join the War Cabinet. That had been done in Great Britain, and the method that. had been adopted in the case of Mr. Ernest Bevin and Sir John

Grigg, and others had been to find constituencies which would be willing to elect them to Parliament. In some cases members.had resigned to make way for the new men. That was easier to do in the case of the House of Commons with GOO or 700 members than in New Zealand, but there was the Legislative Council, and, if necessary, members could be appointed there for the period of the war. Some arrangement could be made. . But in any case the fundamental necessity to be a member of Cabinet was to be a member of the Executive Council, and just as persons who were not members of Parliament could be appointed to the Privy Council so persons who were not members of Parliament could be appointed to the Executive Council of the Dominion.

Once they were members of the Executive Council they, were available, if deemed to sit in the Cabinet. Referring to the number in the War Cabinet, the question of keeping a prqper balance between those who were members of Parlia.ment and those who were not would have to receive very close and careful attention, because they were fighting the war for democracy, including parliamentary democracy. Personally he could see no serious objection to utilising the services and abilities of men of outstanding capacity hi the way indicated, providing .their services were for the period of. the war. and the war effort. THE WAR EFFORT. Dealing with the references to the present War Cabinet and with the nature •of the country's war effort, Mr. Fraser said that the war effort had been good. The Government and the War Cabinet had been in the position that they could not —and even at this moment could not—take the people fully into their confidence, because even to indicate ' fully what had been achieved also revealed whal had yet to be done. Whatever weaknesses there had been or might be a! present were not due to lack of enthusiasm or unremitting effort on the part of the War Cabinet or the ordinary Cabinet, Parliament or the War Council, because all had lent their aid, as also had many other citizens. Any weaknesses had been due to inherent and unavoidable difficulties relating to time and? material equipment which had to be obtained from overseas. These appeared sometimes to be insurmountable, but had become more negotiable now. and were, fast disappearing. Mr. Fraser paid tribute to the valuable and efficient service of every member of the War Cabinet, with whom, he said, he would take an early opportunity of discussing the association's project.. Referring to the replies given by the national executive of the National Party arid the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Fraser said he sincerely hoped their answers were not final. (Hear, hear.) He said he hoped that the whole project would be re-exam-ined by Mr. Holland and his colleagues, and that jointly, both parties would be able, through the Leader of the Opposition and himself, to explore all the possibilities of political and national unity contained in the association's proposals. POINTS OF AGREEMENT. Mr. Fraser said he would approach the Leader of the Opposition in that spirit, and with the request that he should discuss the matter with him, with a view to finding points of agreement and not points of disagreement, and with a view to achieving the maximum unity possible in the present circumstances. "I will do more than that," said Mr. Fraser. "I will again invite the Leader of the Opposition to join the War Cabinet. I have done that on several occasions, and I trust that in spite of all previous decisions and in view of the developments in the war situation and the ever-increas-ing menace to' our shores, previous difficulties will disappear, and that Mr. Holland can now see his way to join the War Cabinet, and that both he and myself will do our utmost for the unity of the Duominion's war effort on the basis which I' believe is a good basis— the basis you have put before us. "I belie.ye that whatever criticism there may be of a National War Cabinet as compared with a complete National Government we can achieve national unity, solidarity, enthusiasm, and efficiency, even more than now, in our war effort if your proposals are taken up seriously, wholeheartedly, and determinedly."