"A WAXWORKS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 84, 9 April 1940, Page 13

"A WAXWORKS."

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT,

LABOUR CONFERENCE SUPREME?

(From Our Correspondent.)

THAMES, Monday. "The delusions of the Labour party Easter conference justify the contention that Parliament is a waxworks," said Mr. F. W. Doidge, M.P., when addressing a meeting of the National party at Thames to-night. "In the official report of the proceedings of the conference we read that the president declared: 'We can be regarded as the legislators for the future, for the will of this conference, in so far as it is possible to do so, must be done.'

"The statement was made that if the voluntary system of recruiting fails, there will be no resort to conscription without first consulting the executive. And yet another vital statement made was that the Cabinet had given tlio conference an assurance, in principle, 'that if it is found Increases are justified to meet increases in the cost of living, the Arbitration Court should bring about such increases by a general order.' The conference is stronger than Parliament; stronger than the Courts. The functions of Parliament and the Courts are usurped.

"The one satisfactory decision emerging from the conference is that there will be no overtures for a wartime coalition," added the speaker. "National party supporters will welcome the statement made on Thursday by the Leader of the party, the Hon. A. Hamilton, that no political truce has been declared. We support the Government in full prosecution of the war effort. But we are free to criticise. That is our function and the useful service we render as an Opposition. "We are pledged to help the Motherland with manpower and production; we are not making our maximum effort. Parliament —not the Labour conference —is the forum to discuss these issues. The Government promised to meet Parliament in February; nothing happened. Now a May meeting is scheduled. Only an optimist will expect its fulfilment."