WAR OBLIGATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 64, 13 September 1939, Page 15

WAR OBLIGATIONS

EARLY STATEMENT

FINANCE PROPOSALS

CRITICISM OF DELAY

By Friday next the Government intends to bring down its proposals for the financing of the Avar measures New Zealand will undertake to assist the United Kingdom, and will also be in a position, unless something unforeseen occurs, to indicate the extent of the Dominion's obligations to the Motherland in the present circumstances.

This announcement /Was made by the Acting Leader of the House of Representatives (the Hon. P. Fraser) when the House resumed yesterday afternoon after an adjournment of a Aveek to enable the whole situation arising from the Avar to be considered b}' the Government. The Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) pressed the Government to give the country an indication of its proposals for conducting and financing the Avar, and suggested that it should take a further adjournment of the House if necessary. Mr. Fraser replied that another adjournment would not help the position, and he promised an early statement of the Avhole question.

After his statement of the Government's intentions, Mr. Fraser said that in the meantime there Avere many matters, most of them of minor importance, Avhich could jbe disposed of. It had been at first suggested that the Public Works Estimates might be taken that evening, though it was, to say the least, abnormal in the ordinary course to ask for their passing on the day that the Public Works Statement Avas presented. He had been informed, hoAvever, by Mr. Hamilton that his party had some doubts regarding this course, and considered it advisable first to consider the whole question of war finance. It Avas accordingly proposed to take the Estimates today or on some other suitable day during the present A\ reek.

"The fact that the Estimates, Avhether main, Supplementary, or Public Works, have been passed will not bind the Government in this state of emergency to expend all the funds, but a certain amount of commitment has already been made, and it is proposed to proceed Avith these Estimates," said Mr. Fraser. MAJOR MEASURES. The Bills to be introduced Avere mainly of a minor nature. He did not think there was anything controversial in them, but, of course, he could not promise that the major measux-es the GoA'ernment intended to bring doAA m would be non-controversial. There might be differences on matters of finance, but he Avould not expect the Opposition to stifle their criticism. The Government and the Opposition might have honest differences of opinion, but that would not in any Avay lessen the desire of all members to do their duty. (Hear, hear.) "I hope that will be ,the spirit in which the discussions are carried on, but even in this hour I do not think anybody should be expected to sink his conscientious opinions, though this is not the time for prolonged controversy," Mr. Fraser said. Mentioning the Transport Lav/ Amendment Bill, Mr. Fraser said he had hoped some arrangement could be made, and he regretted that it had not been practicable. If the Minister in charge desired, the major part of the Bill would go fonvard, and he hoped the controversy would be conducted in as frank and fair a manner as possible. FULLER. .STATEMENT WANTED. Mr. Hamilton said he thought he had the right to expect that the Leader of j the House Avould have made a fuller and more complete statement than the j one just made. The GoA'ernment had had a week's grace in order to plan its course of action for the conduct of the war. A state of extreme emergency had arisen since the session started, and it Avas only a fair thing that the Government should have a week's respite, and more if it Avanted it, to complete a programme that Avould state, as fully as possible, the method of conducting the Avar and the matter of financing the war.

"We readily agreed to that extension of time," said Mr. Hamilton, "and we have offered our full co-operation to assist the Government in this state of emergency, but we want to ask that that co-operation should be fully reciprocated.

"We have had no complaints in the past, though I might sg.y that the Opposition could be informed a little more and a little earlier as to the proposals. We heard about them only this morning.

"We are only the Opposition, perhaps," he continued, ''but we represent a large section of the electors of this country, and we want to be able to speak with full information and full responsibility about what we expect of them and what they expect of us. We have a big responsibility as an Opposition. We do not want to embarrass the Government, but we want to be taken into its full confidence and be assured that our co-operation will be reciprocated.

"The country is calling out for a lead, for the Government to pronounce a course of action and method of conducting the war.

"Other countries have moved into line pretty quickly, and it is, I think, right to say that there is uneasiness in the public mind about the slowness of action here, and the lack of information about the line of action that is being taken. Today the country calls to the Government for action."

Mr. Fraser rose to a point of order and suggested that the political and controversial aspect of Mr. Hamilton's remarks should be deferred. "If he pursues that argument," said Mr. Fraser, "I will have to get up and tell what New Zealand has done compared with other countries. I do not want to do that." Mr. Hamilton suggested that if the Government were not fully ready to inform the country of its proposals, it should take a further adjournment. "The Government is entitled to the time to make up its mind what to do." said Mr. Hamilton, "but we want to know how the Government proposes to control the war and prospective finances." MAJOE LEGISLATION. It would have been helpful if Mr. Fraser had agreed to a postponement of the Public Works Estimates, he continued. There were other proposals regarding the war that were likely

to be mixed up with Public Works finance. "The country is becoming a little restless, and we have no objection to the Government. having more time, but we do feel that the country is not in the mood to discuss Bills such as the Transport Bill and HirePurchase Agreements Bill until major legislation is out of the way. If the Government wants time to see what that legislation should be, we have no objection to further time being given it."

Mr. Fraser said he could assure Mr. Hamilton that an adjournment at this stage would not help the Government, as matters regarding the country's obligations were at such a point that, provided certain information was to hand, they could be very rapidly completed without encroaching for one moment on the time of the House.

He would be very pleased to take Mr. Hamilton, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates into his full confidence. They had been taken into the Government's confidence regarding Imperial communications. The file of confidential information was open to them, and they were entitled to that as representing a large body of people.

"We will be able to speak—very shortly. I hope—more definitely about this country's obligations, and 'before the statement is made in this House we will be pleased to place the information before the Leader of the Opposition and his two colleagues, both of whom are former Prime Ministers and members of the Privy Council," said Mr. Fraser. "We will not. be helped —rather would we be hindefed—if the House adjourned this day. The tension in the country is unavoidable, and the best way to help to steady the people's nerve is for Parliament to set an example and get on with its job."