THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 November 1950, Page 4

THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE

"THE Foreign Affairs debate which was staged in the House of Representatives on Thursday evening provided Mr. Doidge with an opportunity to give a graphic account of his overseas conferences with the representatives of other countries. He gave refreshingly intimate details of his experiences and his personal reactions to the situations in which he found himself were a very great help in conveying to his listeners the full flavour of his journc-’.’ings. The exposition of the policy which he pursued was equally clearly enunciated and ’no doubt remained in the minds of his audience as to where he was driving and the ends which he sought.

Mr. Nash followed the Minister for External Affairs with a very sound and well thought out and well prepared contribution which did him great credit and it was evident from his grasp of the problems which are now confronting the world that overseas countries in rating him highly in the councils of the nations did not err. His contribution was marked by a sincerity of tone and a wide mental outlook. He made no attempt to score points, but rather to make a helpful and harmonious contribution and in this he succeeded. Ilis contribution was in the highest British tradition.

The Prime Minister, following upon the aeting-Leader of the Opposition, had no virgin field to explore; but be did emphasise the contribution which New Zealand is now making to the economic well-being of the world by the acceptance of a range of prices for her exports which is out of line with the alteration in the prices for imports into this country. Mr. Holland has not as yet been able to attend any of these international conferences, but this did not make it impossible for him to pay a well merited tribute to Mr. Fraser, who, as New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, upheld this country’s dignity and good name overseas and sustained his own reputation for a sagacious representative. These compliments could have been extended to Mr. Nash, who was highly successful as a personality both at. the Geneva and the Havana Conferences. It is in the British tradition for the major parties to unite as closely as possible on the subject of foreign ffairs and to sustain a continuity of policy.no matter which party is in office. It is to the good to see that this tradition is so well established in New Zealand.