AUSTRALIAN CABINET

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1941, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CABINET

PARLIAMENT TO MEET MR. MENZIES’ LONDON VISIT ■, CANBERRA, August 12. . The Federal Cabinet, after its continued meeting to-day asked Mr. Menzies’to go to London again as soon as possible. Mr. Menzies mhde the following statement: “Cabinet has decided to arrange the summoning of Parliament for August 20, when statements will be made on the Far East, and if possible, a private session will be held to permit a frank discussion of the whole matter. Questions of great moment have been before Cabinet, and are naturally the subject of exchanges with the various Empire Governments. - We feel that Parliament should as far as possible be acquainted with their backgrounds and implications.

“The public will realise that while the state of international tension continues, decisions on policy have to be made, sometimes of a far-reaching kind. I should also add that recent events give rise to further discussion of the desirability of Ministerial representation in London where decisions of great importance to Empire policy and strategy are inevitably made and where the powers and functions of the ablest High Commissioners are necessarily somewhat circumscribed. “Cabinet has, in fact, requested me to proceed to London again as soon as possible. In the present political and international circumstances there are difficulties in such a course, though they may not be insuperable. I therefore feel it is not right for me to accede to the request without the frankest discussion with all parties in Parliament.

“It is imperative that whoever goes should have the real backing of Parliament. I would further point out that whoever goes, the administration of Australia’s war effort will continue to be conducted in Australia, and therefore no delays will be occasioned in the absence of one man who will, in any event, need to devote the whole of his energies to his overseas work and responsibilities. “Mr. Curtin has been good enough to confer with me during the day on these matters. He completely agrees taht the early summoning of Parliament is the correct course.”

MR. CURTIN’S APPEAL

SYDNEY, August 12

“No matter who we are or what we are to-day, Australia is entitled to ask for loyal and devoted service from its sons,” declared the Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr J. Curtin), in a statement after a private conference with Mr Menzies to-day. “The fact is,” he added, “that we have been at war nearly two years and the scene moves increasingly closer to our territory. Men not fighting or training to fight can work. We have to do everything humanly possible to organise our fighting forces and dispose them in the right place.” It is expected that, the Japanese ship Kasima Maru will leave Sydney for Japan direct on Thursday, with a full complemtent of. passengers, mainly Japanese businessmen returning home. LABOUR CRITICISM SYDNEY, August 12. A new crisis in Federal politics is threatening. Dr. Evatt, K.C.. and Mr. J. A. Beasley, Labour members of the War Advisory Council, who spoke in Kensington to-night, criticised the reported intention of Mr. Menzies to leave for London. “If the crisis is as serious as has been stated,” said Dr. Evatt, “the place of the Prime Minister is in this country and not in London.” Mr. Beasley said that he was not aware of any new developments which had caused the emergency meeting of the Federal Cabinet. He added that the calling together of the Federal Parliament would enable the members to know the extent of the measures taken by the Government in Australia’s defence, and would also “enable Parliament to decide whether to leave power in the hands of the Menzies Government.” QUESTION OF FRONTIERS. LONDON, August 12. The words of Mr Menzies yesterday were taken up by Dr. Gavda, who, writing in “Giornale d’ltaiia,” stated that Britain and America had suited themselves by placing their frontier inside the domain of Japan. There was v.ery good reason why Japan should reverse this process and place her frontiers inside the American and British spheres.