OPPOSITION VIEW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24739, 16 October 1941, Page 8

OPPOSITION VIEW

DECISION ENDORSED PLEA FOR POLITICAL UNITY (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 15. “This is a time when the people of the Dominion should stand behind the Government of the day, a time when public men should give inspiration to the people they represent, when all the people should make the interests of the Empire supreme,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) in the House of Representatives tonight when he gave the Opposition’s reasons for supporting the Prolongation of Parliament Bill. "We must faice up to our responsibilities as public men and leaders of the people,” he said. “We will do our best on this side of the House'regardless of phrty and self-interest, and' in this, as in every other matter, we are going to try to contribute something that will mean tin? shortening of tie struggle. ' The Proper bourse ' V 1speak with .the deepest sense of the .v responsibilities I carry at" this,time,” Mr Holland continued. “ Many people will ba .disappointed that the election has been postponed: but I believe deep in our hearts that we are, doing the right thing. The Opposition concurs and accepts responsibility for its action, and I think it will have the approval of the people that it has been able to place the interests of the country above all considerations.” Mr Holland said that these were r grave days and. a great responsibility rested bn the shoulders of public men both in New Zealand and the Empire; but as public men they would be failing in their duty and unfaithful to the trust reposed in them by the .people of the country and- the soldiefs who w'ere fighting; overseas for the Dominion’s defence if they were unwilling to measure up to that trust. The Prime Minister’s announcement would.be received with the keenest interest by the country.’ It would be “agreed that the course decided upon had been dictated solely by the war situation. The Prime Minister had available to him information of the most confidential nature. . He mentioned that because he believed the public ought to know that there were reasons why public-men came to certain' decisions, though such reasons could not always be made public. A Consistent Advocacy “ Since the outbreak of the war,’” Mr Holland said, “ the Opposition has consistently advocated one thing—it has consistently advocated the mobilisation of all the forces that can be assembled to confront the common enemy, and these forges ihcluded the political forces of the country.We have advocated a non-party Government all along, and we believe (hat we can contribute our maximum effort only by uniting our political forces.” Mr Holland said the Prime Minister had explained why the formation of a National Government had not been found possible. The Opposition, however, held the view that no one party could do all the things that were necessary to enable it to be that the country was getting the maximum war effort. He agreed with the Prime. Minister that to throw the country into the acrimony of a verbal battle at a time when New Zealand soldiers might be again engaged • in battle would be sinful. No body of men such as Parliament should be responsible for disrupting the unity which was so essential to the winning of the war. “It is true that the Government has the numbers to pass a Bill of this nature without -the concurrence of the Opposition.” Mr Holland continued. "But a. measure of this kind carries much greater weight if some degree of unanimity can be reached. We have undertaken not to oppose this measure as an earnest of our sincerity in not wishing to divide the country, and I have given an undertaking that in the unlikely event of a division on the Bill every Opposition member will voluntarily vote for it. We will face up to our responsibilities.” Need for National Government

Mr Holland said the Opposition still retained the view that .a postponement of the election should be accompanied by the formation of a National Government. They believed that that was essential. Seeing that the present Government's mandate would expire shortly, it had no mandate to carry on as a party Government during the period provided for in the Bill. He submitted, therefore, that contentious legislation should be avoided in wartime. He knew the difficulties of putting that into black and white because who was to say what was contentious legislation? He had the assurance of the Prime Minister, however, that a minimum of such legislation would be introduced and he also had an assurance that the Government would consult the Opposition on legislation that might be contentious. Referring to the invitation extended to him to join the War Cabinet. Mr Holland said that the Opposition in declining in the past did not take up a dogmatic attitude. They believed that the addition of one man from the Opposition should be accompanied by the addition of another Government member; but he could not see that the enlarging of the War Cabinet to seven members would increase the efficiency of the war effort. Mr Holland added that he was willing and anxious to undertake any responsibilities to the limit of his ability at any time without any reward. The Opposition was as mUch concerned as any other section of the community to contribute New Zealand's share of the war effort and ne y would like to play a more important part.