N.Z. DIVISION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21009, 4 February 1943, Page 2

N.Z. DIVISION

PROPOSED RETURN PREMIER'S COMMENT

ATTITUDE DEFENDED

iP.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 4. “The Government and the War Cabinet will do all they possibly can to replace the lads who have been there for three years,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, at the Civic Theatre last night when he was discussing the controversy on whether or not the New Zealand Division in the Middle East should be returned. “We will try to get them back as far as it is possible.” The Democratic Labour people were saying that the division should be returned and sent out to New Zealand's frontiers, which were the jungles of Guadalcanal', Fiji and New Caledonia, and the thin line which i was holding back our enemies, said Mr. Fraser. It was not a question of bandying about our boys at the front as political assets. He was credibly informed that Mr. S. G. Holland had, at a meeting in St. Francis Hall, Wellington, expressed the opinion that the matter should be left to Mr. Churchill and that he did not like the matter raised at all. but Mr. F. W. Doidge and others were of the opinion that he, Mr. Fraser, should not have raised the matter with Mr. Churchill. He rejected those ideas altogether.

Will Consult Parliament

“Our men are, there and when it is necessary to discuss their future operations and welfare with Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt—the President of the United States has interested himself in the men of our division and has made representations also in regard to these matters —I will do it. Certainly Parliament will be consulted, but if Parliament is not meeting my hands are not going to be tied. I raised the question of whether it was not possible for our lads. to come back and fight in the Pacific. Mr. Curtin has done the same and many of the Australians are back. “Those who condemn the Government, the War Cabinet, and myself, because mine was the main responsibility and I accept it, for raising the issue also reflect upon our great sister commonwealth. Australia. I am suie nobody wants to do that. In ceitaui circumstances, obviously the right I lung to do would be to bring our men back. In other circumstances, the right thing to do would be to leave them fighting on the African fronts, where they have fought so marvellously. and where they gained the reputation given them by Mr. Churchill as a ball of fire and thunderbolt, and where they have marched with the Maoris at their head as the first British troops to enter Tripoli.

“One Reservation”

"Certainly we will raise the question again. The position at the present moment is this: We will agree with one reservation to the , division reinclining whore it is under the chaige of the United Nations’ war effort and where it can be most effectively used in the struggle for democracy and freedom. We will certainly do that. We won’t take up the attitude that u l hev have to come back we are doing something grievously wrong. We won’t take up the attitude of Mr Doidge and others that they must not come back to fignt in the jungle against the Japanese. A man: He did not say that. “Just a moment. Let us get it right,” continued the Prime Minister. “We ' will keep the question in its proper perspective. If Mr.- Doidge said the boys did not want to come hack, I believe that is true of many „f them. Some who have come back have said they would have rather stayed, but others have wanted to come back. The boys are rather divided.” , . ~ . Mr Fraser expressed surprise that (hose who declared themselves in support of the war when Russia came into it should sound the retreat to as far awav from helping Russia as possible. It was an extraordinary Ihing. . , ~ , A voice: Who said that. Mr. Fraser: It is the attitude of Mr. Barnard and Mr. Lee.