DEBATE ON SHIPPING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 June 1941, Page 5

DEBATE ON SHIPPING

SECRET SESSION OF HOUSE OF COMMONS MR CHURCHILL'S DECISION. NEED OF KEEPING INFORMATION FROM ENEMY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY. June 19. Announcing that a debate on shipping would take place at the next sitting of the House of Commons, Mr Winston Churchill said he had come to the conclusion that such a debate should be in a private session. “I think,” he continued, “there might- be a serious danger to the public interest if the matter were discussed in public. If the debate is in a secret session I hope to be able to make a statement to the House, but I certainly will not attempt to do so in public. I do not think I should do justice to the subject, every part of which is interrelated. "I must remind the House,” he continued, "that the Battle of the Atlantic is a continuous operation, going on. day by day and its seriousness has not been by any means removed by anything that has occurred as the year advanced." Mr E. Shinwell (Lab.. Seaham) strongly pressed Mr Churchill fo reconsider this decision. After referring' to “alarming statements" recentlymade by responsible statesmen. Mr Shinwell said members would exercise the utmost discretion, in the debate and use it to assist the Government and remove disquiet in the public mind. Mr Churchill replied that he must ask the House to be advised by the Government on this matter. They would go into great detail when they were together privately and it would be a great pity if they were forced to conduct discussions on these most grave matters with the enemy listening and every word reaching them quite . soon. Statements could and would be made by the Government. They could have the debate and see what conclusions were arrived at among themselves, and perhaps afterwards some statement could be made in public.