N.Z. WAR EFFORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 81, 5 April 1941, Page 8

N.Z. WAR EFFORTS

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —In a recent speech the Minister of Health said, regarding the 8.M.A.: "More patience must be shown. . . .

But let there be no mistake about this —the Government can by legislation adopt measures which would in effect coerce doctors into this scheme. . . ."

Does the Minister of Health think that the people of New Zealand want dictator methods introduced to this little country. I sincerely trust he does not

| At Auckland the Minister of Labour j replied "Definitely no" to a question |of abolishing the 40-hour week. The j Prime Minister has made the statement again and again "that the one [great job in New Zealand is to get on with the war. Every man. woman, and child must face sacrifice."' Now here we have the plain fact that two Ministers of the Crown are not facing up to the Premier's ideas. Are the people of New Zealand not prepared to sacrifice themselves in their hours of work to help the men who face death for us'? Nothing in this world will make me believe that a majority of our New Zealand manhood is not J prepared for this sacrifice. Are the j people of New Zealand not prepared | to sacrifice a little medical comfort. \ so that they can stand behind these j boys in their job of facing death? Thej Minister of Health gladly spends • £16,000,000 per annum on social s-ecuri-! ty, but it is a rank impossibility to! carry this on and play our full part:1 in the war.

I put it to Mr. Fraser to come out and have a frank talk to the people on these matters. If his followers are not- prepared to put the war firstthen go to the country at once and face the verdict. If the Government is reelected, that ends it: but let us face the position, and put politics behind us. Then and men only can we get on with the one job that matters. We who are opposed to Mr. Fraser's politics, are fully prepared to stand behind him in his difficult task; but it is a waste of time, effort, and money for things to carry on as they are, with members of the Cabinet addressing meetings, talking rubbish along the lines they,have been doing—with the fate of the Empire trembling in the balance. —I am, etc.,

WM. MORGAN.