“UNITY IS FIRST ESSENTIAL”

Southland Times, Issue 24158, 21 June 1940, Page 8

“UNITY IS FIRST ESSENTIAL”

TASK OF WINNING WAR CO-OPERATION WANTED BY OPPOSITION (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 20. The people of New Zealand had to subordinate their freedom and personal interests to winning the war, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Nat.,. Hurunui) said in the House this morning, and the first essential to success was unity. He declared that it was the unfriendly attitude of the Government towards the Opposition that had prevented that unity from becoming an accomplished fact. To put a check on anything subversive was tlie duty of the Government, but a more important duty was to build up the morale cf the people. No matter how good the army might be, if the morale of the people was weak the army would fail. That was the reason for the demand made throughout the country for unity. Mr Forbes discussed the negotiations that had taken place between the Opposition and the Government and said that the Government’s offer of two places in the war Cabinet without portfolios was treating the Opposition’s offer of co-operation with contempt. The Oppositiion had been given the impression that they were intruders who were trying to force their way into a family party. There had been an attitude of hostility from both the Government and the Government party and some members of the party had said that they would have been surprised if the Opposition had accepted such humiliating conditions. It was impossible for the war Cabinet to work in an unfriendly atmosphere. Mr Forbes said when the Opposition offered to take part they believed they could work in harmony with the Government, but the Government had received the offer as if the Opposition was trying to get a share in what was theirs. All the Opposition wanted was cooperation in the war effort.