N.Z. WAR EFFORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 December 1940, Page 8

N.Z. WAR EFFORT

ALARMIST STATEMENTS MR. FRASER’S APPEAL [per press association.] WELLINGTON, December 6. An appeal to Members not to .make statements throughout the country which might occasion uneasiness among the people with regard to New Zealand’s war effort was" made by the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), in a statement in the House this afternoon. He said that, if members had any criticism of our war effort, to make, it could be made during the secret session of the House, or to members of the War Cabinet, or to responsible Ministers. But he deprecated statements being made outside of the House reflecting on what the country was doing towards' the successful prosecution of the war. New Zealand’s war effort was very creditable, and it was recognised as such by the British Government. Mr. Fraser’s statement came as the climax to brief speeches made by Mr E. P. Meahen (Govt. Marlborough), and Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga), regarding the question which Mr. Meachen had addressed to the Prime Minister in the House on the previous day, when he asked if Mr. Fraser’s attention had been drawn to the report of a speech by Mr. Doidge to the effect that New Zealand’s war effort was “negligible.” The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. S. G. Holland), had protested, when the question was laid on the table, that Mr. Doidge would have no opportunity of reply, and Mr. Fraser then intimated that Mr. Doidge would have the opportunity of expressing his opinion later if an occasion could be found. Mr. Fraser intimated this afternoon, after the third reading of the Finance Bill (Number 4) had been passed, that an opportunity would be given to Mr. Doidge and Mr. Meachen to make brief statements, and both members were requested by the Speaker, Mr. Barnard, not to deal with controversial subjects. Mr. Meachen explained that he had considered it his plain duty to bring the reported remarks of Mr. Doidge before the House, and, after consulting the Speaker, he was left with no other alternative than to have a question included in the Order Papei' for Thursday. He wanted to be fair, and he wanted the Member for Tauranga to be able to explain his object in making the statement that had been reported. Mr. Meachen considered that he had taken every possible step, in a fair way, to bring .his question before the House. In his opinion, the statement of Mr. Doidge was not helpful to the war effort.

MR DOIDCE’S REPLY. Mr. Doidge said he considered that Mr. Meachen must have known the procedure he had adopted would not have given him (Mr. Doidge) an opportunity of reply. Mr. Meachen had taken only a portion of what he had said from the context of the report. He contended that his main criticism was directed to a statement that we could not make a maximum war effort on the 40-hour week. If Mr. Meachen had been actuated by a desire to be fair to him, he might at least have shown him the question before it was asked in the House, instead of allowing it to burst upon him like a bombshell. The only criticism he had made of the Government, or which could be so construed, was the statement that we lacked inspirational leadership, and that the result was deadly complacency among many of our people. They had heard the Prime Minister himself declare that only a bombshell on the breakfast table would awaken some people in this country to war consciousness. Mr. Fraser: When was that remark made? Mr. Doidge repeated that he had heard Mr. Fraser say it, and when Mr. Fraser had forcefully repeated his request to know when it had been said, Mr. Doidge stated that it had been said, in much fuller terms, in the House the night before. Mr. Fraser said that the House had been in secret session the previous night, and he maintained that Mr. Doidge had committed an infringement of a sacred trust. The Speaker upheld a point of order raised by the Prime Minister. ■ Mr. Doidge said that his reference had been purely inadvertent. No member had done more than himself to urge that New Zealand should contribute a maximum war effort to the Empire cause. Mr. Fraser then made his appeal to members to refrain from making statements which reflected on the country’s war effort.

LOADING OF SHIPS. In a further brief, statement, Mr. Fraser said that his attention had been directed to a report which had been circulating to the effect .that a certain delay had occurred recently in connection with the loading of an overseas ship at a New Zealand port. When the ship had eventually sailed, she had been lost. It had been stated that the delay in the sailing of the vessel had corresponded with a difficulty in getting her loaded. The Prime Minister said he had made enquiries in the matter, and had been informed that the only delay that occurred in loading the vessel was about one and a-half days on account of bad weather. There had been no other delay. The House then adjourned at 4.30, until the ringing of the bells, resuming at 5.55 p.m., when the usual valedictory speeches were made. The Prime Minister, after thanking the various officers of the House and the officials for- their services, and also the Members of the House for the manner in which the business of the House had been conducted, paid a tribute to the people of Britain ' in this, their hour of trial, but said he would like to send them a message in the name of every Member of . the House, and every person in the country, assuring them of the unswerving loyalty and support of the people of this country to the cause which the Commonwealth is espousing, and expressing solidarity with the people of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. Mr. S. G. Holland also associated the Opposition with the Prime Min-' ister’s message. Mr. Fraser also intimated, earlier during the afternoon, that a new session would commence at the end of February, or early in March. The session concluded at 6.25 p.m., when the House rose.

WAR COUNCIL’S WORK. WELLINGTON, December 6. Expressing appreciation of the advisory work of the War Council, the Prime Minister stated to-day that practically all the Council’s recommendations had been adopted by the War Cabinet. Confidence he had expressed in June in the ability of the Council to assist the Government in the direction of the war effort had been" fully justified. Monthly meetings had'been held since then, and the Defence and Production Committees of the Council had met _ at more frequent intervals. The importance of the work done by the Council would bp appreciated when it was realised that recommendations had been made on the supply and production of munitions and equipment, assistance, to the United States, co-operation with Australia, recruitment of men for the armed forces, oil reserves, and other important matters. The Council was broadly representative of the principal interests in the community and the/Government had found it most valuable in helping to prosecute the war effort.