LIVELY OPENING

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22491, 28 January 1943, Page 5

LIVELY OPENING

Federal Parliament

Inflammatory Speech By Prime Minister Bv Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (10,45 p.m.) CANBERRA. Jan. 27. Uproar broke out only a few minutes after the Prime Minister ((Mr J. Curtin) operted the new session of Parliament this afternoon. Mr Curtin opened the proceedings with a motion affirming Australia’s loyalty and determination to prosecute the war. Opposition members questioned the reason for the motion. Mr Curtin replied with a speech described by the correspondent of the Sydney “Sun” as “inflammatory.” in which he threw out repeated challenges to the Opposition to overthrow his Government (which remains in office only by the support of Independent members). He declared that the state of the country was such that the Opposition .should either overturn the Government or make Parliament workable. * :■ The Prime Minister’s motion was “That this House declare (D Australia’s indissoluble unity with the British Commonwealth of Nations, its unswerving loyalty to the cause of the United Nations and its admiration for the heroic efforts of the Allied forces; <2) its pride in the achievements of the Australian forces in all theatres and its intention to make provision for their reinstatement and advancement and for the dependents of those who have died or been disabled as a consequence of the war; (3) its determination to use the whole of the manpower and material resources of the nation in order to ensure the maximum war effort necessary to bring about victory.” The debate on the motion, which is stated to have been framed to give. Parliament the opportunity for discussing Australia’s war effort, is expected to be bitter and last probably lor ty.o days. The political correspondent of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph” says the Opposition endorses the first two' sections of Mr Curtin’s motion, but i holds that Australia’s manpower and ; material resources arc not being used in the best possible way and drastic reforms arc necessary.