URGED TO JOIN WAR CABINET

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 179, 1 August 1941, Page 6

URGED TO JOIN WAR CABINET

OPPOSITION LEADER MR. NASH APPEALS FOR MORE UNITY IN WAR EFFORT REPLY TO DEBATE ON BUDGET (P.A.> Parliament Bldgs.. July 31. In liis reply to-night to the debate in the House of Representatives on the Budget, Hie aeiingI’riiue Minister, Hon. W. Nash, contended that. there would he more political unity, which would contribute to a greater war effort if the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. C Holland, joined the Mar Cabinet. Mr. Nash said that if a National Government would extend the war effort he was in favour of it. Whether there would be a general election or not was for the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) to say on his return from Great Britain. Mr. Nash thanked the colleagues of his own party for their eulogistic references to the Budget, and also to a majority of the members of the Opposition for their “silent tribute.” (Laughter). The Minister outlined how production had increased in volume since 1935, and, referring to criticism of the import restriction policy, said that if the value of imports were .a test the value of goods brought in in 1940 was £18.000,000. more than the value of the imports in 1934. The Government had never refused a licence for essential goods, he said, and there were more goods available to the people of this country for the purpose of maintaining living standards, because the Government had brought essential goods in.

No Taxation All the members of the Opposition, said Mr. Nash, had been looking forward to the announcement in the Budget that the people would have to pay ’moi'f in taxation hut because they had not, Ihe Opposition was disappointedDealing with the payment for the war. Mr. Nash aid that every endeavour would he made by the Goveinment to free the men who had gone overseas on service from the burden of war debt on their return, and transfer il. to those who had remained behind. If it were possible to work out a. scheme to do this, the Government. wo Id s p e il was done. 11. did not know, at the present time, how it. was to be done, hut if there were a way to ensure that those v ho went to fight could be kept as free as possible from the load of debt aftciwards, then, as one member of the Government, he would try to find that way. The War Cabinet Mr. Nash also referred to the invitation extended to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. S. G. Holland) to join the War Cabinet. One place where Mr. Holland could help the Government, he said, was in the War Cabinet, but it seemed clear that he wanted to indulge in party politics. Mr. Nash said it was because of what the Opposition had done during the last six months that made it next door to impossible to have a National Government. The best way to secure a maximum war effort was to secure unity in the War Cabinet, and he considered Mr. Holland should have become a member of that Cabinet,

General Election The Minister also inferred that the holding of a general election would depend on what Mr. Fraser reported when he returned to New Zealand. The issues of the war were so great, he continued, that if a National Government was necessary to extend the war effort he was in favour of it. However, lie did not believe a National Government would extend the war effort. Mr. Holland asked if Mr. Nash thought his joining the War Cabinet would increase the war effort. Mr. Nash replied that if Mr. Holland would come in with an open mind and stop the political propaganda it would help the war effort. Mr. Nash also contended that the newspapers were helping the Opposition in its anti-Government propaganda. The Leader of the Opposition had claimed that his entry to the War Cabinet would tie him up, but were not all the members of the War Cabinet tied in the same way? Reverting to the possibility of an election. Mr, Nash said he did not have time to go round campaigning, but he might have to if it were considered necessary for maintenance of the Government’s social programme. Mr. F. W. Doidge (Opp., Tauranga): If the Leader of the Opposition comes into the War Cabinet then you are saved a general election.

Mr. Nash: No. I do not say that. I am saying that if Mr. Holland comes into the War Cabinet there would be a better chance of unity in the country. I am not going to say if there will be an election or not. That is for the Prime Minister. It might be possible to avoid an election if there was complete unity in the War Cabinet, and the war effort. Continuing he added that he had been in touch with Mr. Fraser this week, and the latter had studied the conditions in the United Kingdom and the Middle East. He would also study them in the United States, and when he came back he would determine what ought to be recommended in the best interests of the country. Less Bitterness Urged In conclusion, he hoped there would be slightly less bitterness than in the past, and if they could not have a National Government they would have an element of national unity that, would give a maximum war effort. After Mr. Nash had concluded his reply, thus ending the Budget debate, the House formally went, into commit tee of .supply, immediately reporting progress. Mr. Nir-h then annot.in c-I tlu't. for the remainder of the pt-.-nt sos'ion, t'r.r House would si l on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only each wok. This arrangement had been made at Mr. Holland’s suggo-dion to suit the convenience of th" South Island members. The House, however, tie said, would not sit to-morrow, but would adjourn until 2.30 on Wednesday next. The House rose at 9.30 p.m.