The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1942. HAD A VISION—ONCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 94, 23 April 1942, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1942. HAD A VISION—ONCE

"J BELIEVED and had a. vision, which I still have—it is not ;. delusion—that we should be strong enough to lead the com try as one united force through the war, until our country was oi. of danger and our cause victorious, without sacrificing any idea., or principles,” said the Hon. P. Eraser. That vision has been dr pilled and the Prime Minister was compelled to allow iiis though to travel further along this road. So Air. Fraser continued: ”1. the occasion did arise when 1 felt that the position, as it is al present, could not continue, the first thing 1 would do would 1..: to consult my Cabinet colleagues, the Parliamentary' Labour Part., and the National Executive. Then they could consider the situ ation. If this situation arose, and I felt impelled to hand in my resignation, I would then go to the Governor-General and iende. my resignation as Prime Alinister and recommend to him that he he call upon the leader of the majority party' to take my place. The fact that the election had been postponed would no doubt play a part in subsequent events.” The foregoing is abstrated from the report published in the Standard. The Prime Minister’s statement is interesting, not because it explains the procedure which he would follow, but that he found it necessary' to make this explanation. The last sentence, too, is significant: “The fact that the eleetion had been postponed would no doubt play a part in subsequent events.” The implication is that if Air, Fraser found it necessary' to resign he expeetc ’ that the Governor-General would dissolve Parliament. That the Prime Alinister has publicly' averred that lie i ploughing a lonely furrow, in that his views are not shared by his Cabinet colleagues, should cause people to think deeply. It re quires a strong character to stand alone in ,the political field, especially in a. Labour Conference where the organisation whim, provides the president has been challenged by' the lone-ham: Prime Alinister. The assumption is, however, that in the backroom donnybrook which went on in the conference, the Prime Alin ister came off second best, for the issue of the industrial situation, in which the public is vitally interested, was not given publicity. Instead, remits were submitted for the more rigid control of the Press. What would the public learn of public business if lh> whole of the Press were as rigidly controlled as is the .Standard.