POLITICAL TRUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23968, 19 May 1941, Page 9

POLITICAL TRUCE

REPLY TO MINISTERS

ATTITUDE OF MR. HOLLAND

, AGREEMENT A DEAD LETTER [nv TELEGRAPH PR ESS ASSOCIATION ] WELLINGTON, Saturday' 1 The following letter has been sent - by the leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. (». Holland, to the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash: "I have to thank you for your telegram of May 1} in which you ex press the opinion that recently published statements of the Ministers of Health and Industries and Commerce in no way infringe the agreement between the Prime Minister, the l?t. Hon. P. Fraser, and myself. Your attitude suggests there is little to be gained by further discussion, and your unwillingness to ensure that in future ■ such obvious propaganda will bo restricted forces me to the reluctant conclusion that the arrangement between Mr. Fraser and myself has already become a dead loiter. I am only too ready to recognise that Ministers nfiist be tree 10 make essential public state- | incuts, but the two statements in ques- | 1 ion go far beyond that. "The attack by the Minister ot Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordincyer, on tiie medical profession, and his threat of coercive action were unprovoked, unnecessary and verV offensive to a large section of the people. His allegations tend to divide the public, whereas the Prime Minister and I reached an agreement to minimise precisely what Mr. Nordincyer lias been aggravating. If Ministers are to lie under no obligation to restrain their propagandist activities, then there can surely lie no corresponding obligation on members of the Opposition. I appreciate your natural impulse to defend your colleagues, hut ii is another matter altogether to justify every action they take, and the hope you express that party politics will be avoided cannot be realised if what I have complained of is allowed to continue."