PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 294, 13 December 1941, Page 5

PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS

REPORT ON SECRET SESSION I (P.A.) Parliament Bldgs. Dec. 12. ’ In the House of Representatives to- ' day the Addrcss-in-Reply motion was I passed and the Prime Minister, Rt. i Hon. P. Fraser, then moved that the I House should adjourn until February 15, at 2.30. adding the usual proviso | that should the necessity arise in the meantime in the public interest it (should be called together immediately | by the Speaker. I The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. ’ S. G. Holland, said he hoped the Prime ! Minister would not hesitate to call the , House together earlier should the 1 necessity arise, and he indicated that Ihe considered the adjournment pro- ( posed might be too lengthy in the present I ime of emergency. He also ( suggested that perhaps the Governi ment could submit a report to memi bers on w hat had been done in connection with suggestion that had been made during the course of the secret I session. i Mr. Fraser, in reply, said it would I be found that a good many of the suggestions that had been made were ' already in operation, and other valuable suggestions would also he given effect to. With regard to the length of the adjournment, personally he thought February 5 was perhaps a ! trifle overlong, but it was desired to get over the holidays. However, he could assure members that, should an I emergency arise, the House would be , called together on Christmas Day or 1 a Sunday, or any other time, should 1 the occasion warrant it. Personally, i he though the House might meet perI haps about the middle of January. [ Mr Frasers motion was carried I The following official report on the ] secret session was issued before the i House rose at 5 25 p.m.:— I “The Prime Minister reviewed the (situation in the Pacific as it has dei vcloped in the past few months, and ( particularly the progress of negotiations between the United States and Japan, which were broken oa by the ( attacks on American bases by Japa- | nese forces. Particulars were given of the precautionary measures taken befote hostilities broke out, and also lot' the steps taken, and being taken, as the result of the War Cabinets 'continuous study of the problems that Hie new phase ol Hie war has ( brought. I "Our military preparations end ■ enici ceti( y precautions, questions of supply and production, were all passed in review. Six speakers participator