DOMINION’S SAFETY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 111, 4 February 1943, Page 3

DOMINION’S SAFETY

Dependent On Battle Now Raging

MR. FRASER’S WARNING (Br Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 3.

A warning that, the safety of New Zealand depended on the battle now going on in the South-AVest Pacific was issued by the Prime .Alinister. Mr. Fraser, in a public address tonight. “The danger in the Pacific is not past,” Nir. Fraser declared. "Mr. Curtin has pointed out the danger to Australia if the Japanese break through the line ol ■battle now going on in the Pacific, and I support-Nir. Curtin in what he Ims stated in regard to that matter, and the necessity for all of us to do our very best. If 'the Japanese break through—and 1 pray to God and believe they will not.— then every man and woman in this country will have to stand up to it. “I did think that onco war was inevitable the country should be united —■ completely united—and I suggested that a National ' Government would be possible, representing all the people, and Io organize and help the country in its war effort till such time as the war was over, when we could once more resume the old parly strife,” said Mr. Fraser, ■before mentioning the war in the Pacific. "I am sorry that, that was not agreed to. but I did everything possible, and finally we set. up something in the nature of political unity. We had a National War Administration with Mr. Holland in the Cabinet. The Nationalist members were settling down to good administration, and I personally had hopes of carrying on without, eleclion fights till the final fight was won against the Nazis and Fascists.”

After giving liis warning of the danger in the Pacific. Mr. Fraser said the war situation was the reason for his heart being set. upon a National Government or as near it. as possible. Ho spoke of the Huntly mine strike which ended in the retirement from the AVar Administration of three Opposition members and said the right thing to do was not Io throw the miners wholesale into jail but to make arrangements whereby the men were enabled to carry »n producing the coal so necessary for the war effort. Today the AVaikalo miners were working more efficiently than before. They had in the AVaikato people who were enthusiastic for the war effort because they knew every ounce of coal produced would help to beat Hitler, Mussolini and the otliers. The course adopted in handling the dispute by placing the miners under State control had been followed repeatedly in Great Britain and the United States.

“AVe did not want a war in Europe and another, a civil war. inside our own country,” said Mr. Fraser. The retirement of three Nationalist members' from the AVar Administration did not cause any great setback to the war effort and not much notice was taken of if: here or abroad, Nir. Fraser said.