GOVT. CAUCUS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1937, Page 7

GOVT. CAUCUS

t MANY TOPICS DISCUSSED 3 I _ r- ' MR. FRASER’S STATEMENT I [per press association.] WELLINGTON, June 18. After a meeting extending over two , days, the caucus of Government members held in . Parliament . Buildings concluded to-night. The whole of the morning was occupied with a discussion on the Government’s housing scheme. Other important aspects of the Government’s policy were dis-' cussed in the afternoon, including broadcasting, external and internal marketing, and unemployment. Complete satisfaction with the work of the caucus was expressed by the Acting Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser), in an interview to-night. Referring to broadcasting, Mr Fraser said the caucus had passed a motion unjan'imomsly supporting the action taken by the Government, as being exactly in line with the preelection statements of the Prime Min-, ister on the subject, and also endorsing the action of the Acting-Minister in charge of Broadcasting (Hon., F. Jones) in refusing to permit unregulated, use of .the air subjects. Tlie'-jparty: also approved' the Government’s assurance that matters of political, social and economic controversy when discussed over the air must be adopted in case of Parliamentary broadcasts, thus giving each side equal opportunities to be heard. Mr Fraser said consideration had been given to the Government’s policy of external and internal marketing, and the caucus expressed satisfaction with . the results attained. Considerable time also was spent in reviewing ' the unemployment situation and vari- i ous proposals for providing further work were submitted by members. 1 During the morning the caucus discussed the Government’s housing 1 scheme, and one of the most import- ’ ant features of the discussion was con- ; sideration of the possibility of a. short- 1 age of skilled labour. ' “I am well satisfied with the caucus i and it has done a large amount of good work and shown a spirit of co- 1 operation with and support for the 1 Government that could not be ex- 1 celled,” said Mr Fraser. “Reports 1 from various parts of the country on i both the legislative and the administrative work of the Government were very satisfactory and the opinion of members was that the Government was stronger and stood in higher estimation in the .country than ever before. In fact, attacks made upon the Government have been on such an unsubstantial, petty, and puerile basis that they have reacted to’ the benefit of the Government.”