N.Z. WARNED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21009, 4 February 1943, Page 3

N.Z. WARNED

SAFETY AT STAKE PACIFIC”BATTLE DANGER NOT PAST PREMIER OUTSPOKEN (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 4. A warning that the safety of New Zealand depended on the battle now going on in the south-west Pacific, was issued by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in a public address at the Civic Theatre last night. "The danger in the Pacific is not past.” Mr. Fraser declared. "The Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, has pointed out the danger to Australia if the Japanese break through the line of battle now going on in the Pacific, and I support Mr. Curtin in what he has stated in regard to that matter and the necessity for all of us to do our very best. “If the Japanese break through—and I pray to God and believe they will not —then every man and woman in this country will have to stand up to it.”

"I did think that once war was inevitable the country should be united—completely united —and I suggested that a National Government would be possible, representing all the people, to organise and help the country in its war effort until such time as the war was over when we could once more resume .the old party strife,” said Mr. Fraser, before mentioning the war in the Pacific. “I am sorry that that was not agreed to, but I d.id everything possible and. finally, we set up something in the nature of political unity. We had a National War Administration with Mr. S. G. Holland in the Cabinet. Nationalist members were settling down to a good administration and I, personally, had hopes of. carrying on without election fights until the final fight was won against the Nazis and Fascists.” Desired National Ministry

After giving a warning of- the danger in the Pacific. Mr. Fraser said the war situation was the reason for his heart being set upon a National Government or as near to it as possible. I-Ie spoke of the Huntly mine strike, which ended in the retirement from the War Administration of the three Opposition members, and said the right thing to do was not. to throw the miners wholesale into gaoi but to make arrangements whereby the men were enabled .to carry on producing the coal so necessary for the war eifort. To-day, the Waikato mines were working more efficiently than before. They had in the Waikato people who were enthusiastic for the war effort because they knew that every ounce of coal produced would help to beat Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini and the others. The course adopted in handling the dispute by placing the miners under State control had been followed repeatedly in Great Britain and the United States. “We did not want a war in Europe and another, a civil war, inside our own country,” said Mr. Fraser. “The retirement of three Nationalist members from the War Administration did not cause any great setback _ to the war effort and not much notice was taken of St. Ihere or abroad,” Mr. Fraser said.