REPLY TO PREMIER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 37, 23 November 1939, Page 3

REPLY TO PREMIER

OPPOSITION TO WAR EFFORT.

THE OFFER OF CO-OPERATION.

(Per Press Association).

WELLINGTON, November 22. “It ill becomes the Prime Minister to allow his-name to be put to a statement in the official newspaper of the Government in which the Opposition is attacked for doing the political work in New Zealand to which it is entitled,” said the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) tonight. “Mr Savage can be assured that I will in no way stand for the limitation of free speech among those, who by reason of their being the elected representatives of the people, are entitled to speak critically or constructively at this or any other time. “Mr Savage says what was offence during the last war is offence during the present war. If that is so, I want to repeat my earlier warning to the Government concerning subversive influences against which the Government has taken no action whatever. Statements which are disloyal and against the war in which Britain is engaged have already been uttered and published in the organised ranks of the Government’s own supporters. There is ample evidence of subversive propaganda. Some of the political propaganda of the Commercial Broadcasting Service should also receive the attention of the Government. Interview with Mr Fraser. ‘ ‘Since the Prime Minister, 'in his statement, has revived the question of co-operation between the Government and the Opposition, a question to which Mr Nash did not return, I would like to place on record a further piece of evidence of the Opposition’s good faith right from the first, offer of cooperation with the Government in t'hq war effort. When the House of Representatives adjourned to enable the Government to consider its war measures, and after Mr Fraser had made it clear that the Opposition could expect contentious legislation, I thought the matter of such vital national importance that I secured an interview with Mr Eraser. I pointed out to- Mr Fraser that it was obviously essential, and in the Government’s interests, to have a united war effort, and therefore every effort should be made by the Government, in caucus, in' considering legislation, to remove the most obvious causes, of party dissension before the questions were brought on to the floor of the House. This, I contended, would in no way-seriously embarrass the Government, and would be a very real contribution towards public and sectional unity at a critical moment. I assured Mr Fraser that if he could secure the co-operation of his colleagues in this, then the Opposition, as the Opposition outside. Government counsels, as was intended, would undoubtedly be in a position to give very considerable general assistance in expediting a united war effort, and public reactions against a Whole-hearted war effort could have been entirely avoided. • .

“Everyone should now he told, in fairness to the Opposition, that the Government turned down this appeal from me, and went right ahead with political legislation of a violent characteir. Now, with Mr Fraser absent, its leaders have suppressed the truth in an, effort to put the Opposition offside with public opinion. It has been an unfortunate’ blot on the New Zealand Government’s war record to date.

“My duty to the country as Leader of the Opposition is responsible and clear, and no threat from the Prime Minister or anyone else will allow me to betray that duty. There is no need lor a: purge of the Opposition. It is playing, and will continue to play, its part to the full in the war.”