NOT PARTY MATTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1935, Page 8

NOT PARTY MATTER.

CO-OPERATION WITH LABOUR

SANCTIONS POLICY DECIDED. {I!y Telegraph.—Press Association.) . , IuASTERTON, Monday. Factp. not hitherto disclosed were made known by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Coates, when he was asked at lus meeting to-night how far New Zealand had gone In supporting the United Kingdom in the present international crisis. Mr. Coates said New Zealand, with the rest of the Empire, had tried to support the League of Nations. In the present difficulties the question was raised whether the League was to survive or the world was to revert to alliances, rearmament and the wno!e trouble all over again.

The United Kingdom had definitely given a lead to the world in her efforts to bring about disarmament. She had perhaps gone so far as to justify a certain amount of worry. She had given wholehearted support to the principles and Covenant of the League of Nations in thf! present crisis. New Zealand had agreed to certain of the sanctions decided upon by the League. These had been agreed to after being considered in detail, not only by the Government, but by representatives of the Labour party, Messrs.' Savage and Nash, whom the Government had taken into its closest confidence in this matter.

It was felt that tliis was not a matter of party, but one for the' country, said Mr. Coates. He was perhaps disclosing something he should -not, but the Prime Minister and himself had conferred with Messrs. Savage and Nash and had given these representatives of the Opposition complete information. They felt that this was a serious time, and that it was only right that the representatives of the people, not in tlio Government should be taken into their confidence.

. They had. agreed to sanctions and up to the present they had supported the United Kingdom 100 per cent. As against the former conditions in which a lead from the United Kingdom was accepted as a matter of course each step was now considered before being approved. He thought the public expected them to do that and ho thought he was right in saying that the Empire was wholly unanimous in supporting the United Kingdom in its support of the League of Nations.