POLICY CRITICISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24535, 18 March 1943, Page 4

POLICY CRITICISED

"PROPER MUDDLE" REINFORCEMENT PROBLEM (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday New Zealand's ability to maintain and reinforce its forces on active service overseas was questioned by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, in the debate on the Dominion's manpower requirements in the House to-day. The debate, said Mr. Holland, had been inaugurated in a proper way by issuing members with a report containing statistical information and allowing them time to study it. He regretted to say that the report only confirmed his opinion that there had been a proper muddle in regard to manpower Indeed, the report made confusion worse confounded. Mr. Holland was also disappointed there had been no statement from the Minister of Manpower, the Hon. A. McLagan, when the Chiefs of Staffs and members of the War Cabinet had addressed members in the social hall on Thursday, for that wae tlio only place where the Minister could have spoken to them and they in turn could have put questions to the Minister with a view to obtaining his outlook and opinions on the subject. "Cannot Maintain Two Forces" "1 do not think it possible to maintain and reinforce the two forces on active service overseas, one in the Middle East and the other in the Pacilic," said Mr. Holland. "And we now find that it has been agreed with the Americans to change the unit in the Pacific from a garrison force to a combat force and that has been done without consulting Parliament in any way. We have not the population in this country to maintain and reinforce the two forces on active service overseas." Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour — Grey'Lynn): We have another division in the air. Mr. Holland: Yes. 1 am coming to that. We are also to have the nucleus of three divisions here. In addition to this a large number are to be put into the Air Force and that, will he the nucleus of another division. Signs of Improvement "We are in for a tough year," Mr. Holland continued. "The forces overseas might be cut to pieces and we might have to face up to heavy casualties. We have been told by experts that men cannot last more than four months in the Pacific." In Auckland a few days ago lie had found all the lights and Neon signs on and that indicated an immense improvement in the position so far as New Zealand was concerned, Mr. Holland said. There were thousands of Americans in New Zealand and there was no justification for maintaining the nucleus of three divisions here as well as the forces overseas and the nucleus of two more in the Air Force. The Minister of Internal Affairs, tlio Hon. W E. Parry: Do you suggest because there are Americans here we should not do anything at all? Mr. Holland: Will the Minister say that the statement of experts that men have to come out of the Pacific every four months is wrong P Suggestion for Overhaul A suggestion that there should be a committee of the whole House to overhaul the whole question of manpower was made by Mr. Holland. He said that one thing they should be sure of was that the men in the Middle East never wanted for reinforcements. But they would want if the units ih the Pacific were cut to pieces and suffered, from the ravages of malaria and had to be replaced every four or five months. The conversion of the Pacific division from a garrison to a combat force had been done without the concurrence of Parliament and he wanted to make his protest. The report stated that the two forces overseas could be reinforced, but it did not say on what basis. The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan: It says for this year 17,953. Maintain Pacific Division "We have not started to win the war yet," said Mr Holland. "We should make our arrangements in anticipation of the war lasting a long time." Mr. Sullivan: Will you say what in your judgment the position should be P Mr. Holland: The Minister asks me to give impromptu a policy for the Pacific to replace his. 1 am not going to be caught that way, but if the Minister would like the Opposition or myself to contribute our views we will submit a considered statement. Mi'. Sullivan: Should we fight in the Pacific? Mr. Holland: That is a red herring. If we cannot maintain and reinforce two active service forces we have to decide which one we will have. .1 will have no hesitation in saying which one we should maintain and that one is in the Pacific. PRUNING INDUSTRIES COMMENTS BY MR. PARRY SACRIFICES IN PROSPECT (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday "If we are to maintain two forces in the field we may have to prune some of our industries to the very bone," said the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon W. K. Parry, in the House 1 o-night. The Minister said that people in New Zealand had not been called upon to make any sacrifices or suffer inconveniences comparable with those in somo other countries. Those who had lost dear ones were the only people in this country who had suffered, but he believed that nil would have to make sacrifices before the war was ended.