NON-PARTY RULE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 91, 18 April 1941, Page 5

NON-PARTY RULE.

OPPOSITION OFFER. MR. FRASER DEFERS REPLY. (P.A.) WELLIXOTOX. Thurwlay. , Tn n Matement made to the i party ciiiiVronrc <>n the Opposition pro-' 1 ["'•■ ill !■> f"i":n ;i National ilnvern'iH'iiT. , ilii- I , rime Miiii-tcr. the Hi. 11..n. I'. : l-'ni-er. while nut n-jn-i in-_' t he propo-ul. ■ -aid it «a< impn*-il>K> to ajrree ;■■ it . ■ m the eve hi" hi- departure f• t Britain. , It would, ho added, receive full con- ; «iileratinn inimediately on hi?, return. • Mr. Kramer's attitude *va- approved '■' by t In- conference. Mf. ]•r;li-cr'< .-tai''ment \\a- a- fo]- , !■>«-: "Shortly after the ri-i-ciit adi'>urnmem "I Parliament. Mr. -v i;. H'diand. the Leader ill the O|'|H*-it:i'ii. iiinl n;\x-li di>ciit--ed the war .-iinat i"!i ami the possible course nf e\ent<= t»-■ 111 at Home and abroad during my alienee hh mv' projected vir.il to the United Kinjrdnm. . I e\|>re--ed the opinion that it was most de-irable that during my ab-rncc political fniiJm\eivy in the , I)*'!iiitiii>n -h.'llld i*. !Tiln,-.-d \,, ;i :i::iii:i::i i: a n.l liiat 1...t1i l> i;.i\ci-n:i:.-iit |.a:t\ ~uA I in- !•;■;■•> -it!-!! j;ii :y r-ii.-uiil ~-'■•■ at i.r.i|> :l _'.inda. I wi;..:liy : :-. :'-..| M.' FI"ll:il:d t.i j.'in ;i.,. WaV < a!iii,-1 and e\]ir «*-i'<l mv oanii-.-t \\i~ii lii.i; lie co.ild .-•!■ liir-' way In do so. I >ia;,-d 1 Iprnpo-ed to ;hi- v.-rhal imitation with a formal written fine a;t<-r he. had jtime to -jive adcqiiiiti- enn-ideration to 1 1lie matter. Fear of Confusion. I "Yr>Merday afternoon Mr. Holland jinforilli'd iiiO tll.lt it i-auciu- nf the O|ij.n.i:i.ui ;anv had rn.-t and h,i<\ ounv '" the ■••>i:i-liii»i>ni :hat tile f'lrinaiioi. of a Xati-'lial I in\ eminent «,i>.i:y and that the Opposition waprepared i<. participate in a Xationa' f;overn:«eiit. I pointed out to Mr. i Holland that it na- not ]>0.-*iblej ] for me to agre« to the propoeal'

on the eve of my departure for the United Kingdom. I felt .-noli a step at the moment would lead to undesirable .•.infusion and therefore would not promote national unity. 1 further made it dear that I did not reject hi- pn>j>o~al and undertook that immediately "ii my return it wciil-J receive full con--iileration in the liplit of the cimim--tames then prevailing and a derision would be made. '"I stated that in the opinion of the ilo\ eminent the (piertion of the postponement of the <;c-neral Klwtion which. iiii«lit lie ad\i-a':>!e and e\.-n inevitable ..«i!iL r to war d< , \es«ipiiienti». utiiild iie.-c--ari!v ini'dvn tit" ijin—::oli o! the |oi:natioii of a N.i;i"iial • •('•, ernsnent and tii.it !,!•;: in r I nor mv cmill^h'MH Would <-\cll -UL'L'i'-t a jMu-t ]>oneme,it 11 it- ouiy elfei-l -vvar. t.. retain the ti\eriiiuent in oluVe. I invited Mr Holland to join the War Cabinet a:id ai~~i?t in the all-important work being ably carried on by ail members of thai Imdy j>endin<j mv return to New Zealand. I al-o pxp;c-«-ed the ihit diirincr liie period of mv ai>~. n<-<. .m vaf work and fur r<i]!<--i!iat:on wi'h tho liriti-h I'ri!i:e M:nW-t»>r and i> W-ir 1 ab:'!■•; .1 jiiifty tnir-<-. Iμ :-■ i- •■•'•- \ \ ■>. Further Consideration. Lar-t <\<n:n- Mr. Holland \va? ? ood enough to funii-h n.e with a copy of the statement whi'-h in thi- nioniinir's I hope tha* in view ( .f what I have -aid and tin , additional fait that I am leaving -nutitr than I anticipated. I'll- f|iii->:ioii .-an '■ <■ further ■■•■• • ■■::■■ ■:■:■ li,l- :■■■> ~: . -.■: ■■■ in •' ■■ \\ ■.- X... .. l:.i- »,,r .-tlort. Wii.'i! il he had a:r. .-..mMi'Mit t> make on the I , rime MinUt-rV an-wer m t!ie Opposition".* proposal that a National (iovernment b<- formed and partv politi---; <lroppf-d for The duration nf the war. Mr. 'Holland -aid he had iu*t a wij y r.f th*- Prime Minister"- -tatrn:e:.t and that he would s'ne it r-arefiil r-or-i.b i ■•- tifin in 'on-uir.it'.!i with i-dleaci , -- —— j