FINDING MONEY FOR WAR

Southland Times, Issue 23921, 13 September 1939, Page 9

FINDING MONEY FOR WAR

Statement Expected By Friday

MEASURES PROPOSED IN DOMINION EXTENT OF OBLIGATIONS TO BRITAIN (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 12. By Friday next, the Government intends to bring down its proposals for the financing of the war. and the measures New Zealand will undertake to assist the United Kingdom. It will also be in □ position, unless something unforeseen occurs, to indicate the extent of the Dominion’s obligations to the Motherland in the present circumstances. This announcement was made by the acting Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) when, the House resumed after an adjournment of a week to enable the whole situation arising from the war to be considered by the Government. '

The Leaner of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) pressed the Government to give the country an indication of its proposals for conducting and financing the war and suggested that it should take a further adjournment of the House, if necessary, to do this.

Mr Fraser said that another adjournment would not help the position and he promised an early statement of the whole question. In the meantime, there were many matters, most of them of minor importance, which could be disposed of. It had been at first suggested that the Public Works estimates might be taken than evening, although it was, to say the least, abnormal in the ordinary course to ask for their passing on the day that the Public Works Statement was presented. He had been informed, however, by Mr Hamilton that his party bad some doubts about this course and considered it advisable first to consider the whole question of war finance. It was accordingly proposed to take the estimates today or some other suitable day during the present week. “The fact that estimates, whether main, supplementary or public works, have been passed will not bind the Government in this state of emergency to expend all funds, but a certain amount of commitment has already been made and it is proposed to proceed with these estimates,” said Mr Fraser.

The Bills to be introduced were mainly of a minor nature. He did not think there was anything controversial in them, but, of course, he could not promise that the major measures the Government intended to bring down would be non-controversial. There might be differences on matters of finance, but he would not expect the Opposition to stifle its criticism. The Government and the Opposition might have honest differences of opinion, but that would not in any way lessen the desire of all members to do their duty. He added tha't this was not a time for prolonged controversy.