OPPOSITION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL EMPIRE CONFERENCES

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 June 1948, Page 6

OPPOSITION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ALL EMPIRE CONFERENCES

(P.A.) Timaru, June 9. Towards the end of this year there would be two important conferences held in London, said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr- S. G. Holland, when addressing business men in Timaru today. The first would be composed of representatives of the Empire Parliaments, and New Zealand would be represented by five members of the Legislature, two Government, two Opposition, and one from the Legislative Council. The conference was largely a social affair, with opportunities for exchange of opinion between members, but the representatives would have no authority to speak for or to commit their respective countries in any way. The second conference was of great importance and at present appeared to be on a Prime Ministers’ level, said Mr. Holland. At that conference matters of first rank importance to the whole Empire would be discussed and probably far-reaching decisions arrived.

“I have long held the view that whenever the strength of the Parliamentary parties is fairly evenly divided, 1 as they are in New Zealand, both sides of Parliament should be represented at these Imperial conferences so as to ensure some measure of unanimity in the decisions and a continuity of foreign and Empire policy should there be a change of Government,” said Mr. Holland. “My proposal, therefore, is that the two conferences referred to should oe amalgamated and attended by two representatives from each side and one from the Legislative Council, as at present proposed, but with this exception: that one representative from each side should be qualified to speak for their party on what might be described as a Ministerial level, and those representatives would be qualified to attend the conferences conducted on the higher levels delegates are accustomed to at Imperial conferences."