BRITAIN’S POLITICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 November 1945, Page 5

BRITAIN’S POLITICS

CONSERVATIVE MEETING MR. CHURCHILL’S CRITICS LONDON, November 22. “Mr Churchill attended a meeting of Conservative members of .the House of Commons, which discussed whether the Opposition was attacking the Government sufficiently fiercely and wholeheartedly,” says the Press Association’s political correspondent. “It was rumoured that Mr Churchill’s leadership might be assailed. The meeting divided into two groups: first, those who declared that the opposition required more virility and ginger; and, second, the old campaigners who favoured farsighted policies instead of an immediate ‘rough and tumble.’ It is believed that there were crisp exchanges during the meeting, as when critics were told that if they could not be taught sense they could at least be taught manners. Mr Churchill gave full and forceful answers to the critics. The storm, which was really never-more than a localised shower, subsided completely.” . NOT VISITING OVERSEAS. LONDON, November 22. “It is absolutely untrue,” said Mr. Churchill’s private secretary, on commenting on a report by the “Daily Herald’s” political correspondent that Britain’s war-time Prime Minister was leaving for Australia and New Zealand in December. “He has no plans for visiting either Dominion.” PRESS AND NATIONALISATION , LONDON, Nov. 21. The “Financial Times” says: It is essential that there should be a full Parliamentary debate on nationalisation, and adds: “How far the Government has a mandate for its present programme is debatable. Certainly, the electorate put Labour in. But its motive, according to the concensus of informed political opinion of more than one colour was primarily to give power to the Party which it believed would get on most quickly and effectively with the difficult job of reconstruction. It wanted jobs and houses to live in and food on its plates. In themselves, controversial decisions founded on academic anti-capitalism have no contribution to make to the immediate national rehabilitation.” Opposition to nationalisation has also come from the road transport industry, representatives whereof declared: “We won’t collaborate in any shape or form with this Government on nationalisation. Another report says the entire electric supply industry will resist . to the utmost the Government’s plan and that municipalities—some So-cialist-controlled — and companies protest that no valid reason for nationalisation has ever been given. Equally with nationalisation, the Conservatives are opposing the continuation for two years of war-time regulations and defence codes. When the second reading is given to the Bill to deal with emergency laws (transitional powers) it was denounced as a destruction of liberties for which the wai’ was fought and won. Everything indicates that:,, the rather mild political atmosphere which had followed the results of the General Election has now evaporated overnight, and that the opposition and industrialists are going, to muster every force available to fight the Government. It will be a pitched battle. MISSING PLANE LONDON, November 22. “The missing R.A.F. pilot who is believed to have ‘disappeared’ with the Meteor is a fighter pilot, Flight Lieutenant John Adam,” says the “Daily Mail’s” aviation correspondent. “Flight Lieutenant Adam is described . as being of a dare-devil type. He visited a small inn near the airfield on Monday night accompanied by three other R.A.F. officers. He had a couple of beers and left at closing time. A mechanic at Molesworth aerodrome stated that Flight Lieutenant Adam started up the Meteor and took off before the alarm was sounded. It is understood that a court of inquiry into Flight Lieutenant Adam’s disappearance will be held in the near future. ANOTHER AERIAL CRASH (Recd. Noon). LONDON, Nov. 22. Twenty-two soldiers and nine members of the R.A.F. crew were killed when an India-bound Liberator crashed, at Blackdown E[ill, Devon. All the occupants were killed instantly except one who died on the way to hospital. The plane which had taken off from Ilminster. six miles away did not gain sufficient height to clear the hillside, and struck a tree and caught fire. CRIME IN LONDON. (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, November 22. The increase in the number of burglaries and hold-ups in London, said Mr. Chuter Ede, in the House of Commons, suggested that there was reason to believe that a considerable number of the offences were being committed by Army deserters—men with no other means of livelihood. The police were organising countermeasures, arranging for policemen from the armed forces and accelerating recruiting. CAR PARKS LONDON, Nov. 21. Huge underground car parks, called “Aladdin’s Caves,” will be built under cities and big towns in Britain to keep motor cars off the roads. Lord Walkden announced This in the House of Lords, when outlining a new quarter-million sterling road safety campaign. - The Government is advancing loans to local authorities to finance construction of these car parks. HEAVY ~FOG LONDON, November 21. Widespread fog, the densest for a year, to-day extended over*the whole of the British Isles, disrupting air and rail services. The fog is not expected to lift until Friday.