N.Z. WAR COUNCIL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20861, 13 August 1942, Page 4

N.Z. WAR COUNCIL

CEASES TO FUNCTION NEW CABINET TAKES OVER TRIBUTE TO MEMBERS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. In announcing to-day that the func- • tions of the War Council would be 1 discontinued, the Prime Minister, the ' Rt; Hon. P. Fraser, paid a warm tri- ' bute to the services given by members ? during the council’s existence. - At a recent meeting, said Mr. t Fraser, the War Council fully discussed its relationship with the War • Administration and the view was i expressed that, following on the asi sumptipn by the War Administration • of many of the duties and functions previously performed by the War . Council, the time was ripe for a full ■ coordination of all the War Council’s ; duties and functions under the new administrative body. In making a unanimous recommendation that the War Council should terminate its functions, member;; offered to continue to place their individual services at the disposal of the Government in any form that might be required; and Inis offer will be gladly availed of. Mr, Fraser added that; as Prime. Minister, he was deeply appreciative of the very helpful and conscientious manner in which tlie War Council members had approached every task with which they had been confronted. The basis of the service was, Of course, of a part-time apd voluntary nature, and, in mariy cases, the attendance of members at monthly meetings meant travelling considerable distances fropi ’ everyday work, thus entailing real sacrifices. The country Should realise its debt to members of the War Council, which had beeil the first body representative of all sections of the community to come together and assume a share of the great and growing war burden, and its representative basis had given its recommendations authority of the first importance. Valuable Work Performed Mr. Fraser said he was sure the country would agree with him that the War Council, throughout a most difficult period, had performed valuable work and that the whole-hearted thanks of the Government and the community were due to members for their unselfish and self-sacrificing devotion to the highly important, deliberative arid advisory functions which they Had so successfully discharged. These functions had been on two planes—that of investigation, which was dope through the defence and military affairs committee and the primary and secondary industries committee, and also as a body of recommendation to the Government and the War' Cabinet. The council had had wide represeritation, farmers being represented by Mr. W. W. Miilholland, the workers by Mr. R'. Eddy, arid the employers by Mr. C. C. Davis, the Federation of Labour by Mr. A. McLagan, the Returned Services’ Association by the Hon. W. Perry, the Maoris by Mr. E. T. Tjrikaterie, ahd thfe Legislature by Mr. L. G. Lowry arid • Mr. H. AtmOfe. The Government also . appointed Sir Andrew Russell to the council.