POWERS GRANTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 3

POWERS GRANTED

STATE CONTROL PEOPLE AND PROPERTY BILL BECOMES LAW NO DIVISION IN HOUSE OPPOSITION CRITICISM (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. When the House of Representatives j resumed yesterday afternoon the second reading debate on the Emergency Regulations Amendment Bill was continued. Mi-. Clyde Carr (Lab., Timaru) said he supported the bill but opposed the arguments in favour of a coalition Government. The Government had given an assurance, he said, that the powers in the bill would be exercised as required and only when required, and he hoped that conscription woiilri never be required.

With regard to the question of a coalition, he stated that the Government’s supporters were as opposed to it as were the Opposition supporters in favour of it. Mr. 11. G. Dickie (Nat., Patea) stated the Opposition was not asking for a coalition Government but for a national Government. The Labour Government could not claim to represent every section of the community. The farming section of the country was not strongly represented in the Government and those sitting on the Treasury benches-had little knowledge of the primary producing industry. The bulk of the people were behind the proposal for a national Government and did not want a hand-picked {ot of nien administering New Zealand' affairs. * Aid to Voluntary System Mr. W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford) said the Opposition had done its best in the last eight months of the war to assist the Government in the voluntary system of recruitment, and the fact that almost 50,000 men had already volunteered showed thenefforts had been successful. In doing this the Opposition had subordinated its very strong views on the subject towards a co-ordinated effort with the Government, but he considered the Government had failed to grasp the need for doing more in this direction until it was too late. He considered that if a War Council were set up, as proposed by the present Administration, it would prove a clumsy; unwieldy addition to the already numerous boards and councils already in being. Mr. A. H. Nordmeyer (Lab., Oamaru) said the British precedent did not apply because the British Government had nearly run its course. The New Zealand Government had a right carry on in the war because it had been elected about the time of {he Munich crisis, when the people knew that war was still probable, 'they should have a War Council, but not a coalition.

Considered Long Before The Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, briefly replying, said that the question of the formation of a War Council had been under consideration long' before' there had been any demand for a national Government. Personally, he thought that a War Council would work, and he referred to the important place the War Council had in Britain during the.last war. T.he suggestion had not been put forward in New Zealand as a countersuggestion to the formation of a national Government, and there would be no delay in implementing a War Council’s decisions. The Government still wished to secure the co-operation oT the Opposition in a War Council. The bill passed its second reading without a division, was put througn the committee stages in eight minutes and given its third reading and passed. The Prime Minister thanked the House for the promptitude with which it had dealt with the measure. MEASURE PASSED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Pci- Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. When the Legislative Council met yesterday, the' Hon; Archibald Campbell’, Port Cfialmers, was Sworn in as a member. The council then adjourned to await the Emergency Regiilations Amendment Billi The bill came before the council as soon as it was passed by the House, and was passed after a brief debate in which speakers agreed* it was necessary in this time of emergency. When the measure was put to the council the Hon. M. Briggs said “No,” but there was no question of a vote. When the council resumes next week the Hon. T. Brindle will move the Address-in-Reply.