COMING POLITICAL EVENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1919, Page 4

COMING POLITICAL EVENTS

«—--i ' ' - STATEMENT BY HON. G. W. RUSSELL. '{United Press Association., OHRI ST CHURCH, March 24. A guarded utterance on coming political events was made by the Hon. G. W. Ru&sell this morning in replying to the Otira Tunnel deputation. Down to February 28, Mr Russell said, the Dominion had spent sixty mi lions, on .the war, and he would not be surprised it it figured out at Si per cent., including interest and sinking fund. There never was a time when the country required to be more united on the subject of increased production, extension of settlement, and development or resources. He was a member of a Government formed in August 1915, for the purpose of winning the war, and everything had been laid aside for that purpose, and, rightly or wrongly, the doj mestic interests of the country bad not been considered while the war was on. How far the country was prepared for the conditions arising out of the close of the war, and the Huge responsibilities undertaken, was a matter for grave consideration. The National Government in the course of a few months would come to an end, he presumed. The leaders were away, rendering the Dominion most important service in laying the foundation of future peace; but.be could not shut his eyes t ©the , fact that the Governmen. itself was tremendously handicapped by the absence of the leaders at a time when the country required that every possible effort should be made to meet the position that had arisen out of the war. What was more, no sooner would the leaders arrive that the country would be faced with a general election. What the result of the election wouM be he could not predict, but to his mind, and he said so after full consideration, it would be a disaster _ to f New Zealand if through any '■political , developments the Parliament and people of the country did not undertake, before Parliament met in the ordinary course of June, 1920, the work of reconstruction arising out of the war. Many things would Term ire consideration,' but on these matters-, he could not trust himself to speak. He would say that ’as the Government was not . formed for the purpose of providing for tjie? policy of the country after the war. the members of the 'Government were how placed Ijbi an exceedingly diffi ilt {position, because, however much they might feel that the country needed a'political lead with regard to matters that must be dealt with after the war, their hands were tied, their feet were tied, and their tongues were tied, and they dared not, with consciousness of loyalty to their chiefs, say ■what they thought should be done. The position was one that had given him the gravest- anxiety, Mr Russell added, because he felt that now was the time when, the country ought to be using every effort for the purpose of assisting development, in view of the tremendous obligations Mr. Russell added that he had spoken from, his heart, because he realised it was merely a question of a few months I when the present combination would {come to an end, and that in the mean- | time the full interests of the country 1 could! toll the adeemaielvi represented |by public rpep of the country until | ifc was decided what form of Government, wa« to follow the Government of which he was a member at present.