NATIONAL LEADER’S OFFER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 20 February 1941, Page 4

NATIONAL LEADER’S OFFER

NON-PARTY GOVERNMENT AFTER NEXT ELECTION SUGGESTION TO PRIME MINISTER [United Press Association] Wellington, This Day. “I want to make a straightforward offer to the Prime Minister and his Government. I suggest that the members elected to Parliament next election hold office for the duration of the war, and, further, that both the Labour Party and the National Party jointly undertake to form a national Government regardless of which party has a majority.” This offer on behalf of the National Party was made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, in an address in Blenheim last night, during which he again affirmed his party’s determination to stand 100 per cent, behind New Zealand’s war effort.

Mr Holland said that from the very first days of the war the National Party had consistently advocated the formation of a truly National Government, but the Government just as consistently had declined to give up any of its Socialistic programme or to give up any of its portfolios. An *election was to be held this year, and as he had previously announced, if the National Party was successful it would immediately invite the parties to join with them in the formation of ? non-party Government, not merely to administer the war effort but to undertake responsibility for the entire task of government.

“I believe Mr Fraser is quite in earnest when he says that nothing else matters but winning the war,” said Mr Holland, “but it is equally true that some of his colleagues in Cabinet are at the same time going for their lives socialising New Zealand as fast as they possibly can.”