POLITICAL TRUCE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23353, 12 June 1941, Page 4

POLITICAL TRUCE

Definition Sought (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, June 11. A suggestion made by Mr W. M. C. Denham (Governmqpt, Invercargill), in a question in the House to-day, that a truce had been entered into with the Opposition at the outbreak of war for a cessation of party politics, was denied by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland). Mr Denham gave notice of his intention to ask the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) whether, in view of the widespread antiGovernment propaganda now indulged in by the press, which was hampering the national war effort and arousing class strife when unity was so vitally necessary, he would define to the House the nature of the political truce entered into with members of the Opposition at the outbreak of war, whereby party politics would cease, so that the maximum national war effort could be given. He also asked the Minister to say whether Government members were to remain silent, and let go unchallenged those citizens who were openly seeking to sabotage the Government, and whose tactics were tantamount to the work of fifth columnists. “I wish to raise a point of order as to the propriety of a member of the House stating in a question things that have no semblance to fact whatever,” Mr Holland said. The Minister for Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer): Obviously true. Mr Holland: It was said that there was a truce between the parties since the outbreak of war. There was no such thing, and members should know it. Mr Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard) said in reply to Mr Holland that he was not responsible for allegations or facts contained in a question. He merely satisfied himself that the question contained no reflection upon any member of the House.