COMMUNISTS IN HIGH POSTS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25445, 17 March 1948, Page 4

COMMUNISTS IN HIGH POSTS

PURGE SUGGESTED BY MR HOLLAND

GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT

. A plea that the New Zealand Government should take action on similar lines to that announced yesterday by the Labour Government in Britain and purge from responsible positions those guilty of “Communist and other subversive activities” was made last night by the .Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), addressing a National Party meeting in his own electorate (Fendalton). “I accept the Prime Minister’s assurance that the existing law is adequate to deal with Communist and other subversive activities,” said Mr Holland. “I feel assured that I am expressing the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people when I urge the Government to use the provisions which the Prime Minister says already exist to oust any persons suspected of Communist or subversive activities from positions where they can carry on their fifth column work. “The Labour Government of Britain has given the lead in this matter, and it should be immediately followed by our own Government. The people are looking to the government to take definite and immediate action to meet the present crisis. Every day these disloyalists and wreckers are left in any positions of responsibility, or where they can carry on their underground activities, adds to the danger confronting New Zealand. “If it is good enough for the Labour Government of Britain to act, then it should be good enough for New Zealand to take the same action,” Mr Holland concluded.