ATMOSPHERE OF EXPECTANCY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23279, 15 August 1945, Page 4

ATMOSPHERE OF EXPECTANCY

Probable Advent Of Peace Effect On Domestic Economy Financial Debate Postponed 'N.Z.P.A.i WELLINGTON. Anu. 14. Meeting in an atmosphere of expectancy at 7.30 to-night, (he House of Representatives required only a few minutes in which to agree to an adjournment until the same hour next Tuesday because of the probable advent of peace in the meantime, and the fact that the scheduled discussion to-night of the Budget presented last Thursday evening would serve little purpose. The Prime Minister i the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) said he personally thought—although he had no particular basis for so doing—that the Japanese reply was a question of hours rather than days. When the House assembled Mr Fraser said that owing to the uncertainty as to the time and nature of the Japanese Government’s reply to the United Nations statement on the surrender terms, all members must themselves feel uncertainty as to the advisability of continuing the sitting to-night or during the succeeding days of this week. The minds of members, as of everybody in the Dominion, were focussed on the possibilities of peace, while there was speculation as to the effect of peace upon our domesticeconomy. Members would want to be in their own electorates—where there was always plenty of work for them to do—during the peace celebrations. That in itself was a strong reason for a week's adjournment. Another factor was that every member felt that the Budget introduced under war conditions making provision for a year of war, with little more than half of that year to run. might not necessarily be an accurate estimate of the financial requirements for the remainder of the year under peace conditions. There was a danger that discussion of the financial statement submitted last Thursday might bring to members and to the country a sense of unreality. In view of these circumstances and after a discussion with the Leader of the Opposition and Party members, he suggested an adjournment until next Tuesday night. “Matter of Hours” Mr Fraser mentioned that there was a danger that the reply from the Japanese might not be forthcoming even by then. Personally, he thought it would be a matter of hours rather than days, but he had no basis for that other than a feeling it would be so. If the reply was not received by next Tuesday, he thought it could be arranged for 20 members to meet and adjourn the House for a further few days, but he thought that would be unnecessary.

Mr Fraser said he hoped the country would ignore all premature or false announcements and would wait for an authoritative announcement. Nothing was more disappointing or confusing than for a premature announcement to be taken at its face value. He counselled everyone, particularly those responsible for arranging- celebrations, to wait for the official announcement. Mr S. G. Holland said he wanted to confirm what the Prime Minister had said. He had had discussions with the Prime Minister and with his own Party about the position. It was to have been his privilege to have opened the Financial Debate, but they all felt that to open that debate would have meant initiating it on a completely false foundation, as it would have been on the basis of New Zealand having 55.000 men in the Armed Forces. Now the whole situation had changed and they had agreed that a debate at this stage would be useless and might even be dangerous. Moreover, an adjournment would enable the Government to review the whole position, and as he thought the Government had the right to that he had gladly concurred in the suggestion that they should adjourn. If peace came men would be returning to this country in large numbers, and the organisation the Government would have to make for their reception would require a good deal of preparation. He did not suppose he would lose his place in the Financial Debate, and he might be able to make a better speech than the original one he had prepared. Revision of Estimates The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) said that if it were necessary to adjourn Parliament for six months to achieve peace he would be in favour of the adjournment. If news of peace were received it might be necessary to make some slight adjustments in the estimates of expenditure insofar as they affected war expenses. If it were possible for all the Services to return to New Zealand by the end of the present year, anv reduction in expenditure would be slight .as compared with the estimates which did not take into account the payment of gratuities. If all the accounts were kept up-to-date there might be no reduction, because deferred pay, transport and gratuities would be in excess of the estimated amount, although others might be reduced. He proposed to submit revised estimates of expenditure to members before the House met so that they would be available for the sitting next week. The House adjourned at 7.45 p.m.