HON. W. NASH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1943, Page 6

HON. W. NASH

TO RETURN TO U.S.A.

IF LABOUR ELECTED

"If the Labour Government is returned I intend to request Mr. Nash to proceed again to Washington to carry on the incomparably splendid work he has been doing for New Zealand there," stated the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) today. He said that not only had Mr. Nash established a very close personal friendship with President Roosevelt, but also with Mr. Harry Hopkins, Mr, Stettinius, Mr. Cordell Hull, Mr. Snmner Welles, Mr. Stimson, Colonel Knox, and all those in charge of the United States war effort.

Mr. Nash, continued Mr. Fraser, was accepted as a friend in every part of the United States and by organisations of every kind. There had never been a better ambassador for any country than Mr. Nash had been for New Zealand in the United States, and that had been generally acknowledged throughout the length and breadth of the country. It was mentioned to Mr. Fraser that a correspondent to "The Post" had raised the question of whether, if Mr. Nash was to return to Washington immediately the polling was over, the people in his constituency would be voting for a "shadow." The correspondent had also raised the question whether it would not be better for Mr. Nash to be appointed straight out as Minister to Washington, leaving the representation of the Hutt electorate to someone resident in New Zealand.

CONSTITUENCY NOT SUFFERING

Mr. Fraser said that the reference to "shadow" was really beneath notice as it was beneath contempt. "Mr. Nash's constituency is not suffering and will not suffer," continued Mr. Fraser. "On the contrary, it is entitled to even more consideration than an ordinary constituency will receive during a member's absence.

"Mr. Nash will retain his position as Minister of Finance and member of the War Cabinet, and when he completes his mission in Washington— which includes the United Nations as well as the United States —he will return once more to take up the uninterrupted direction of the country's finance. When I say that Mr. Nash stands conspicuous in world affairs, both as New Zealand's Minister of Finance and New Zealand's ambassador to the democratic nations, I am understating the position."