CALL FOR UNITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 120, 3 March 1941, Page 3

CALL FOR UNITY

NATIONAL CABINET NEEDED. PARTY POLITICS SHOULD CO. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, March 1. The gravity of the military and economic situation that was facing the Empire was stressed in an address to the monthly meeting of the MakaraHutt Valley Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union by the Dominion President (Mr W. W. Mulholland). The Acting-Prime Minister of Australia, said the speaker, had drawn attention to the military situation, and there could be no doubt that the next year would be one of great importance and Avquld probably decide whether the freedom loving peoples would lie allowed to retain their freedom or whether the world would go back to the dark ages.

The economic situation, as affected % the war, was also one that was becoming increasingly grave. In order to meet the difficulties of the situation which would arise if large quantities of the country’s normal exports and imports were shut off, as appeared possible, more drastic action on the

part of the Government would be necessary. No party government could enforce the drastic regulations of the people’s normal activities which seemed likely to become necessary. People objected to handing over the whole of their rights and freedom to a Government of only one party. He felt that the time had arrived when party politics did not matter. Unless they had, in the direction of their national affairs, people of all shades of Opinion, they could not get

the public confidence in the administration and the public unity of mind which was essential at the present juncture. They were passing through an economic qrisis of the first magnitude, in addition to facing a military situation which the Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia had described as “grave.” Surely, the present was a time when everyone should unite. - If Hitler won it would not matter a dump to what political school of thought one might belong. All would be in a concentration camp. “We have to save the British, ideals—

those, ideals for which we and our forefathers have stood, and the saving of those ideals is of more importance to us than the saving of some party shibboleth. If avo do this, avc can Aveather the economic and military storm that faces us ” He did not Avan t it to be thought for a moment that he was disparaging the activities of the War Cabinet, said Mr Mulholland. The War Cabinet had had a marked effect on those matters which had come Avithin its jurisdiction, in: getting energy and direction and! decision into the Avar effort of the

country, and that Avas one of the main reasons that lie saiv for extending the National Cabinet to cover the whole of the affairs in New Zealand. There had been a feeling of confidence in the handling.of things by tine War Cabinet that was markedly lacking in the handling of tilings by the General Cabinet. A great many people in Noav Zealand Avere feeling like himself about it, and many of them were endeavouring to bring about a National Cabinet. “Politics.” said the speaker, “do not matter. Wo lia\ T o to win the Avar and: save our British ideals.” The folloAving resolution Avas carried on the motion of Messrs Tullook and A. Hormbin: “That, in order that the neat unification of the Dominion may be achieved, this meeting is of the opinion that a National Government truly reprosentatiA r e of all sections of the community, is essential.”