REPLY TO PRIME MINISTER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 120, 14 February 1941, Page 9

REPLY TO PRIME MINISTER

Mr. Holland’s Tour

NEED FOR POLITICAL ACTIVITY

Dominion Special Service

CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 13. "It is bad enough having only one side told over the air. yet now it appears that the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, wants the same conditions for public speaking,” said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, today in an interview in which he replied to criticism of his action in conducting a North "island tour. Mr. Fraser gave his interview to the Labour Party’s official organ in AVellington. Tile Prime Ministers statement was: "I have noted with little interest Mr. Holland’s political campaign, and I have been much too busy in connexion with war work to give any detailed attention to bis remarks, which are usually self-condemnatory. From my cursory glance tit them. I would say that it would be extremely difficult to find in them anything helpful iu the present crisis, when flic threat of invasion to Britain and possible rapid and dangerous developments in the Pacific render ordinary politics insignificant. As far as the masses of the people are concerned, the most conspicuous effect will be endorsement by AVr. Holland’s statements of the Government’s contention that if the National Party were returned to power gains in social and economic advancement would be lost to them. The immediate effect of Mr. Holland s campaign on the Labour Party is the closing of the ranks in a nation-wide unity, and renewed determination to retain social ami economic advances achieved by the Labour Government for the mass of the people, while at (lie same time straining every nerve and sinew to work for the country’s war effort.” Mr. Holland said there was not the slightest need for the Prime Minister to explain that he had not given detailed attention to what ho bad been saying on his recent North Island tour. That was obvious from Mr. Frasers criticism. It was always difficult lo criticize when one was unaware of what one was criticizing.

“Mr. Fraser seems in some difficulty iu understanding the need for such a tour as I have just concluded, and I am only too pleased to explain,” Air. Holland said.

“F’,rst of all the Prime Alinister will recall that the' Government refuses Opposition speakers the use of broadcasting services, so of necessity my colleagues and I have to use the public platforjn and newspapers for presenting our side of the case—and there are two sides to every story. “As the Prime Alinister has been too busy to give more than a cursory glance at my comments, it may be of so,me interest to him to know one or two things I have said: First, that it is absurd to have some 29,000 men on public works and relief schemes in these times; second, that it is a shame that New Zealand soldiers overseas cannot have their own money sent from New Zealand to them in excess of 1/6 a. day, while Australian soldiers can get £6 a week; third that by not following Britain’s example in forming a National Government it is the Government and not the Opposition which is making political activity necessary.”

If Air. Fraser was upset because he had addressed a meeting of friends and supporters of the National Party, said Air. Holland, he wondered how the Prime Minister felt when he reminded him that his deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Nash, was addressing a public meeting iu Dunedin at tho very time that he. Air. Holland, was speaking in Taranaki. It would be cruel to remind Air. Fraser of many meetings of the Labour Party addressed by the Prime Alinister himself, the ATinfster of Railways. Mr. Semple, and Air. Nash, to say nothing of Air. AVebb’s notorious “Julius Caesar” speech at Denniston.

“Apparently the Prime Alinister considers it quite all right for his side to address meetings everywhere, but quite wrong for the other side to do the same,” concluded Air. Holland.