NOT ACCEPTABLE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 211, 14 June 1940, Page 3

NOT ACCEPTABLE

WAR CABINET PROPOSAL. DECISION BY THE OPPOSITION. “ALL-IN” ADMINISTRATION WANTED. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, June 13. When the Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard) called on the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Leader of the Opposition, to continue the Address-in-Reply debate in the House to-night,* Mr Hamilton said that, in lieu of making an Address-in-Reply speech, he wished to make a statement on the recent negotiations between the Government and the Opposition. The need of the moment was for a quick-acting “all in” administration following up the recently passed “all in” legislation. Mr Hamilton then read a letter which he had received from the Prime Minister to-day stating that, in addition to the representative War Council which the Government intended to appoint immediately, the Government proposed also to set up a War Cabinet and would be pleased if the Opposition would accept an invitation to appoint two members of the Opposition Party to act in the War Cabinet with three members representing the Government.. The Opposition member’s of the War Cabinet would be members of the Executive Council without portfolio; ■'ihe War Cabinet’s responsibility would b-'. to consider and determine all matters ielating to the Second Expeditionary Fence, 'the naval and air forces and home defence. The remaining duties and functions of the Government would bo carried out by the present Cabinet in the usual way. In the event of a War Oahii et being estahiLbej the functions of the War Coun *il would necessarily he consultative and advisory. This proposal, said Mr Hamilton, had been considered by a caucus ot the Opposition and in its opinion the latest .proposal of the Government was simply trifling with an important question at the very moment of the Empire’s' darkest hour.

Situation Not Met. The complicated nature of this latest proposal, said Mr Hamilton, in no way met the situation.. It failed to give the country the leadership it needed and lie was certain that nothing less than an “all in,” quick-acting nonparty Cabinet with full administrative powers would satisfy the people of New Zealand. He said that under the proposal the Opposition members of the War Cabinet would not have tl e right to attend Cabinet meetings and it was equally half - hearted in the powers with which it was suggested this War Cabinet should be vested. It merely dealt with matters relating io the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, naval and air forces and home, defence. This was but a very small part of what was represented by New Zealand’s war effort. He was certain that the Government’s proposal would be cumbersome and unworkable. The Opposition was determined to stand 100 per cent, behind New Zealand’s war effort and the moment the Government was prepared to give effect to a non-party Cabinet with, full Ministerial responsibility and. power it would'be ready and willing to nominate its members. £ All would be sorry, said Mr Hamilton, that the Government’s proposals had fallen so far short of what was i obviously reasonable in the circumstances. “But they fail,” he added, “and fail lamentably.” So far as the Address-in-Reply Debate was concerned, he said,' the Opposition would allow it to pass by default.

Mr Fraser’s Reply. “I can only share the regret which I am sure will he shared by ev r ery earnest person in the Dominion, who really is sincere to unite the country, at the tone of the rejection of the Government’s proposals by the Leader of the Opposition,” said Mr Fraser. “I do not think during the period I have been in Parliament that I ever before have heard a statement that in almost every line breathes arrogance.” Up to the present moment, the overtures that had taken place had been conducted in a friendly way, not .in a dictatorial way. That was not the way to bring out national unity, and when Mr Hamilton presumed to talk to the people he was forgetting himself and overstepping the authority he had received from a minority of the people. However, it was an important minority and the Government had endeavoured to give it consideration. He said he. proposed, to confine himself entirely to Mi* Hamilton’s statement and to express' a hope that the effort for unity, though it had been flung back with' such contempt would not be permanently lost or defeated. Mr Fraser proceeded to examine Mi Hamilton’s statement in detail. Throughout the negotiations Mr Hamilton had acted in a friendly manner, but the statement he had just received had given him a shock and was entire!} contrary to the spirit of the offer, t e agreed that there were many important matters connected with the war effort that were not covered by the proposals he had submitted to Mr Hamilton, but the War Cabinet was to have full and complete charge of the matters mentioned in his offer. Mr S. V G. Holland: Oyer finance, too, Mr Fraser: So far 'as money for war purposes is concerned. Assistance Not Required. “The Government,” he continued, “doOs not feel, it has not felt and it is not likely to feel that it requires any particular assistance so far as i\ew Zealand’s war effort is concerned. It is not in the mood to be sermonised or lectured as it has been in the document read by the Leadei of m p position. Tt is not in the mood to go on the penitent form as apparently it is expected to do. On the contrary, it is prepared to carry on as efficient l } as in the past.” He regretted that the statement bv Mr Hamilton cut

across so abruptly the negotiations that had been in progress. Mr Hamilton: We think it wise to clear away confusion. Mr Fraser continued that so far as the Government was concerned it was anxious all tho time to explore the possibilities of united action, but there was no hope of that being achieved in the spirit of Mr Hamilton’s statement. Tho Opposition deserved full credit for saying that even if unity could not he brought about it intended to givo 100 per cent, support in New Zealand’s war effort. He gayo details of the Government’s proposals for setting up a War Council, and said that it would represent the cumulative wisdom and experience of representative organisations in addition to representatives of the Government and the Opposition. Each country had to adjust its own organisation to its own conditions. This proposal was the Government’s effort to do that. A Plea far Reason. • Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) said it seemed to him that the Cabinet had been steering in the direction of an unofficial coalition, and he could Hot imagine that the Government would be more efficient with a War Cabinet or a War Council. He entered a plea for reason where subversive acts were suspected, and said there was danger of a dogmatic attitude being adopted in such matters. Supression was not leadership. The war could not be won by silencing every member of Parliament or by accusing citizens of crimes against patriotism if they expressed their own opinions, nor was defeatism wanted. The right spirit could only be secured by everyone saying “We will not be defeated.”

Mr H. Atmore '(lnd., Nelson) 1 expressed the opinion that party spirit was rather dominant, and he hoped there would be no recrudescence of it. He considered that not all the brains in New Zealand were represented in Pai*liament itself, and that if there were members of the Opposition who were willing to work and contribute something they should not be ignored. A man who would give confidence to the people more than anyone else was a man like Major-General Sir Andrew Russell in the War Cabinet. He urged the Government to see that all expenditure for internal purposes was money issued against the productive capacity of the Dominion. Mr A. E. Moncur (Labour, Rotorua) briefly replied and the motion to send a. loyal address to the Governor-Gen-eral was carried. - Mr Fraser, on the motion for the adjournment, said an Imprest Supply Bill would have to be passed before the end of the month. The Budget would be ready on June 27. He suggested. that the House should adjourn until Wednesday, June Iff, when the Imprest Supply Bill would he ready. This suggestion was approved and the House rose at J 0.25 p.m. until 2.30 ".m. on Wednesday.