ATTITUDE OF N.Z.R.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 309, 24 September 1943, Page 6

ATTITUDE OF N.Z.R.S.A.

Land Sales Act And Cabinet Appointment CORRESPONDENCE WITH EXECUTIVE A denial by the New Zealand Returned Services Association of the statement by the Minister of Manpower, Mr. McLagait, that his appointment to his portfolio was made by the Government at lite suggestion of th? association, is contained in correspondence which has recently passed between the Dominion executive of the association and Colonel R. S. McQuarrie, a former vice-president of lhe Wellington branch of tlie association. The correspondence has been handed to the 11CSS lor publication. In a letter addressed to the Dominion secretary of the association by Lolonc. McQuarrie under date September 17, the colonel drew attention to tlie ."unfortunate and ambiguous position forced on tlie association” by Hie remark of tlie lion. W. Berry in the Legislative Council on the Laud Sales Bill that “the USA. had no alternative to otter,' anil stilted that it was vital that the association, bv an official, fearless and clear statement, should clarify whether Air. Berry was speaking for the association. Colonel McQuarrie added that, iu conscious on unconscious loyalty to Mr 1 erry, the Dominion vice-president ot the association, .Mr. C. O. Bell, had made ptmlic statements supporting the Bill, and was as a consequence drawn into an acrimonious debate with the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The colonel said that Mr Bell had made it clear that bis views were private, but pointed out that the vice-president could not step down from bls position to that of a private individual in such a controversy. . As a result of these happenings, the writer stated, Mrs. C. Stewart, Labour candidate for Wellington West, had made the statement that, the Bill 'had the support of the U.S.A.” . . Colonel .McQuarrie said that it might well be that Hie executive of the association felt that the returned soldiers had something to gain and nothing to lose from the Bill, and were satisfied to let events take their course, even if the benefits for the returned men struck at the rights of others. If so, he said, he was persuaded that the executive was far out of touch with the living corpus of the association. Colonel McQuarrie also drew attention to the statement of the Alinister of Manpower 'thfit his appointment arose “from a suggestion from the R.5.A.,” and asked whether such a suggestion had been made by one who was no longer president ot Hie association, or from the association executive. An official statement in this matter was also most urgently needed. Replying to Colonel McQuarrie in a letter under the same date, the general secretary of the N.Z.R.S.A., Mr, 8. Harrison, said he was instructed 'to acknowledge the letter and state that the ■ matters raised would be considered by the executive at. a meeting to be held the following Tuesday, and that he would communicate further following the meeting . Tn the meantime he was instructed to forward to Colonel McQuarrie a statement 'by the association on the Land Sales Bill which had been published iu the Press. Writing under date September 20, Colonel McQuarrie said he deduced that the statement by the association was published either prior to or during the passage of the Bill through Parliament. Summarizing the association's statement, he said that the executive had perused the Bill prior to its introduction and endorsed its principles, but has considered it would fail to accomplish the purpose set out in its preamble. It had stated it was therefore unable to approve the Bill as-drafted. The Bill was then materially altered, and the executive, in a later press statement, suggested it be divided into two Bills: (a) the stabilization proposals, and (ib) the method of acquiring land for the settlement of returned soldiers. This course the Government had failed to adopt, and the executive had further stated that it was unable to suggest any alternative to the principles of the Bill, hut that it might well be that the principles could be carried out by other means. The' executive had suggested that all interested people should be given opportunity to make representations before the Bill was proceeded with. This course had again not been adopted by the Government, and Colonel Alcquarrie deduced that the Bill as passed did not have the approval of the R.S.A. lie understood that the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay, had claimed over the radio that the R.'S.A. supported the Bill.

Replying under date 'September 21, Air. Harrison said ho had been instructed to inform Colonel AlcQuarrie that the Dominion executive of the association considered that no good purpse would be served (by making any tfurther statements about the Land Sales Bill “at this stage,” seeing that the N.Z.R.S.A. had already made a clear and unequivocal statement on its attitude to the Act. “Ae regards Air. AlcLagan’s reported statement,” the letter continues, “I might say that Iite’N.Z.R.S.A. has nevbr at any time asked the Government that Air. AtcLagan, or any other person, be appointed to any position on the Cabinet. It did make representations for the formation of a National AVar Administration.” AVriting under yesterday’s date. Colonel AlcQuarrie thanked Hie executive for its communication, and informed it that he had handed copies of the correspondence to Hie Press.