STRONGER WAR CABINET

Southland Times, Issue 24684, 4 March 1942, Page 5

STRONGER WAR CABINET

DEMAND BY OTAGO FARMERS’ UNION GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACT (PA.) DUNEDIN, March 3. “The time has come when we must speak out strongly in this matter. We have refrained in the past only because we did not wish to create disunity, but now someone should give a lead and I think this council should do so,” said Mr A. C. Leary at a meting of the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in moving an amendment to a resolution calling on the Government to resign if it was not prepared to strengthen the War Cabinet by the introduction of men of proved energy and administrative ability irrespective of political considerations. The resolution before the meeting was one expressing approval of a motion passed by the Dominion executive urging the Government to strengthen the national morale and the war effort by setting up a stronger War Cabinet with wider powers. “Throughout this country,” Mr Leary said, “there is lack of confidence in the Government regarding its war effort. We have only to instance what it is not doing in dealing with the question of man-power. It is asking the farmers to grow more wheat and they are doing that as a war effort, working long hours every day without expecting more remuneration. Yet we have a Government which absolutely refuses to give authority for men to work over 40 hours a week except in certain circumstances.” Mr Leary moved as an amendment: “That failing action on the lines indicated in the resolution it is the opinion of this council that the Government should resign and make way for a Government which will carry on the war effort efficiently in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the people.’ Moving the original resolution supi porting the Dominion executive, the ' president, Mr D. H. Cockburn, said he Felt he was voicing the opinions of farmers generally when he said that there was a widespread feeling of dissatisfaction with the Dominion’s war effort. There appeared to be too much muddling and inefficiency was apparently widespread. The resolution and Mr Leary’s addition to it were carried unanimously.