NATIONAL PARTY

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1939, Page 2

NATIONAL PARTY

CO-OPERATION IN WAR.

LABOUR MISREPRESENTATION.

[per press association.]

i \ HAMILTON, November.. !. ' “There appeavfs to be soip© nusnn- ; derstahding of the meaning of- the cooperation between the Government and the Opposition,” said-the leader of the Opposition. Mr. Hamilton, in an ad- : dress to members of .tbe .-. National Party, at Hamilton, , “I want to make it perfectly clear, he'"added,' ’“that,' because the Oppose - tion promptlyrOffeped .the.government co-operation -in-Uvar .measures, wh cli was gladly accepted by the Govein ment, the Opposition ms (in no \vay committed to a meek acceptance oi proposals, the necessity of which as war measures is either doubtful o non-existent. A The necessity tor making this again clear is l emphasised bj a featured-article in a recent-issue>■• oi the official organ of the Laboui Pai/V' in which- a-’Wcilter z of mlsrepi ekentation is deliberately and viciously used to try and place- a - BKarge against the Opposition, because of its criticism of some measures,-•■fhat it had obstructed the war effort. ... T “That is a. ..type ; of propaganda that I thought was unknown in this 1 country.’’lt is' worthy'••bf~the"drctatWial system, against which the British peoples qre. at .present at war. It 'is a lie.- t’Nev' Zealand people'will- not tolerate-that type oi/distortion-’oi- the truth, at- a time like this. Make no mistake, no one is more wholeheartedly behind the war efforts than the Opposition and members of the National Party whom they represent, but we have a right to demand, fair play at home.” Before the war, the. Governments policyGhAd'‘broFfght the Dominion into a position of- great difficulty, with extraordinary measures, such as exchange and. import tiop6,-:Miy’ Hamilton;?'.said;-, Taxation had. - already been > .increased, and -rpro; for- thev/extenMve usevoftJoans,-and. credit. v.fT^ie. .Opposition readily gave Its assent to ,Qje ■War Emergency Regulations and legislation, where war-time necessity and appiicatianAwerevbeyoad doubt. The Government’s authority had been widely exten,ded,.in this way and Where the -motiveAva ( s‘ , political, merely advancing the planning of State Socialism in this..country, th,e. Opposition fought with all its strength. DEFENCE of ■democracy. “it- will’'JsontfntTe v to' do’' so.' : If ‘-'de.mocracy is worth’fighting for abroad it is worth defending, politically, in this cburilf#7’,(Mr: JHaniiTtofv^.Hjded. The legislation'that was unashamedly introduced since the outbreak of .' ithe,<war,< with .the .admission that , : it Syas ■' extending^nand consolidating . the politicaln.- ) assau i lt_.'.on,.> private.’, prise and 'freedom ,aud justice-, could hot be allowed to. pass uncontested.

f “Support for the war effort and ■temporary loss-'of individual freedom, which is .the.,.chief feature of British 'democracy,, will. fi&./.ibrthco.ihTfig,'’' ‘Mr. Hamilton ' ; <ion.tijiue-d.'-‘' ‘HOwever, I (would be failin ! g ,{ in 'YYiy ‘duty if I did (not makp it. perfectly, 5 ..tliat the ■prosecution’ 'by 'the Government of jpurely political motives will be bitterlyAregiSted thrdtfgltout this 'J Country. ,The people are in no mood for triffirig in this attitude. 7.1 would ,my duty,''K oi. d-id.c«n-oti / that ‘the GQYernment’§>!!introdu.ctiono!of .Je: 'gislation andregulation' /shaped-Ato their pplitieal xendsr-against. the/tragic background’ of-' bur: entry: |pto ? j' this war, .threatens/.,.jt0 stifle the-very nationa.l spirit'ahdrmnited effort fgK /T shicli< and the appealing.”