SURRENDER SIGNING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 227, 24 August 1945, Page 5

SURRENDER SIGNING

NEW ZEALAND’S PART.

POINTED QUESTIONS ASKED (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 24 That New Zealand would in no circumstances quarrel with the

British Government on international affairs was stressed by the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser), in answering a question when the House of Representatives met at 10.30 o’clock this morning.

Mr E. P. Aderman (Nat., New Plymouth) gave notice to ask Mr Fraser, as Minister of External Affairs, whether New Zealand had made a request to the British Government, in association with or independently of Australia, to be a signatory to the instrument of surrrender by Japan. If not in association with Australia, what was the Government’s view of Australia’s attitude in the light of the Canberra Agreement? Did the Minister agree that Australia was the only “white nation” in the Pacific entitled to representation if Did he share the dismay expressed that the Labour Government in Britain should be so offhanded about the claims of Aus- r tralia and New Zealand for representation '{

Mr Fraser said a question of this nature demanded an immediate answer because part of it could be interpreted as a reflection on the United Kingdom Government. He hoped there would be a sense of responsibility in putting such questions. Opposition voices: Another lecture. Mr Fraser: 1 hope questions will not be asked which will make a delicate international situation worse.

Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Waitomo). rose to a point of order, inquiring whether the Prime Minister, in giving an immediate answer, had the right to give a lecture to members.

Mr Speaker: The Prime Minister is the Leader of the House. He has a responsibility in these matters and has every right to make a statement. Mr Fraser: I am appealing to members in a delicate international situation to have great care with questions and not to wrongly impute motives to the United Kingdom Government or our allies.

When there were further interjections from Mr IV. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford), Mr Fraser asked Mr Speaker to “endeavour to give the member for Stratford some sense of responsibility in these matters.” Mr Fraser said he would like members generally to measure up to some sense of responsibility wlien_ framing questions concerning international affairs. . , Mr Fraser said the matters raised by Mr Aderman were serious and required great care and thought, both in the asking and answering of questions concerning them. “Up to the present moment there are no indications that Australia will bo a signatory, any more than New Zealand, to the peace settlement in Japan,” continued the Prime Minister. “Britain, the United States, China, Russia and perhaps France—--1 am not sure about France —will sign, hut the other countries will not sign. There is no reflection upon Australia and New Zealand in that. They will, both be represented and are represented there now.” DESIRE FOR UNITY.

In regard to the ' attitude of the British Labour Government, Mr Fraser added, it should be remembered that au Potsdam, when the arrangements were made, Britain was represented bv Mr Churchill and Mr Eden as well as by Mr Attlee. If the. honourable member would study the newspaper reports he would know there was no difference between the foreign policy of the present Labour Government and its predecessors. “I am concerned that our unity with the .United Kingdom should be maintained above everything,” continued Mr Fraser (“Hear, hears! from both sides of the House) “and that no member on either side of the House will say anything which will start even a semblance of diversion between ourselves and the. United Kingdom on matters of foreign policy.” All information on foreign affairs except anything of a secret nature would always he available to the Leader of the Opposition and to any member of the House who asked for it. He hoped there would be less atul less necessity for keeping anything secret, because tho more open diplomacy was tlie better. He hoped the smaller nations would be taken more into equality with the larger nations, but just now the position unfortunately was just the opposite. The Great Powers were predominant in the world at present, as the recent conferences had shown, and we hail to recognise that fact. Australia and New Zealand were close together, and had protested against anv exclusion in the Pacific, but we were not ffoing to qufirrel with the United Kingdom even if she couldnot always extend to us, owing to international (conditions, the equality we would like.