MAY DISSOLVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 309, 30 December 1940, Page 8

MAY DISSOLVE.

N.Z. WAR CABINET. MR. FRASER WARNS. INCLUSION OF MR. HOLLAND. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WKLLTXGTOK, this day. The Government's insistence that the War Cabinet should include the Leader of the Opposition is likely to precipitate a breakdown of this system of war administrat ion. When Mr. Holland was elected Loader of the Opposition the Xational party caucus also carried a unanimous resclution requesting the Hon. A. Hamilton and the Kt. Hon. J. ft. Coates to continue us their representatives on the War Cabinet. There was a prompt warning by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives that the Government would have to give serious consideration to this position.

Mr. Fraser has now emphasised fie matter by statin™: "It is obvious that if the War Cabinet is to continue as a national institution for the purpose of directing the nation's war effort both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition must be members of it; otherwise it fails as a united, national, effective administrative Ixwly. or even as evidence of that national unity in the war effort which all desire."'

Immediately after the Prime Minister's first indication of dissatisfaction with the position, leading Opposition members were asked for their opinion. They were agreed that the party will adhere to its nomination of Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Coatee, even to the point of a breakdown in the War Caibinet.

The Government view is that a body making important decisions should be in no doubt about all its members having plenary powers, otherwise the War .Cabinet would be so hampered as to be valueless. It is expected that an alternative to the present system is an inner Cabinet of Ministers co-operating with a representative War Council, which would be more frequently consulted than has been the case when the War Cabinet has met almost daily.