FUTURE POLITICAL CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25239, 31 May 1943, Page 3

FUTURE POLITICAL CONTROL

Straws in the political wind indicated that ex-servicemen would probably take complete charge of New Zealand after the war, said Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., at the anual reunion of the Eltham Returned Services’ Association. " Why nof? ” he asked. \ " Who has a better title to do so? ” The trend of the times appeared politically to be the appeal to the soldier and how things would affect him. The New Zealanders had earned imperishable glory in the North African campaign, and he had heard in the recent session of Parliament that the highest possible praise was given them by the leaders of the Allied forces. The consensus of opinion in New Zealand to-day was that the division should be allowed to remain in the Middle East. Replying to the toast of the New Zealand R.S.A., proposed by Mr Wilkinson, Mr C. Pease said the present membership was 46,000, including 4000 from the 2nd N.Z.E.F., while after the war it would number 100,000. “If they make their views heard as one voice then the Government must listen to it,” he said. “ Therefore we must prepare now to use that power.”