ATTEMPT TO DRAW MR LANGSTONE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23966, 5 June 1943, Page 4

ATTEMPT TO DRAW MR LANGSTONE

OPPOSITION MEMBERS SEEK STATEMENT From Our Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, June 4. An attempt by Opposition members to draw the Hon. F. Langstone about his former appointment as High Commissioner in Canada was made during the External Affairs Bill debate in the House of Representatives to-day, but it failed. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) said that the House should get reports from overseas representatives, and asked when Mr Langstone was going to make a report. Mr Langstone, however, made only a brief reference to Canada when he spoke on the bill. Mr Holland said that New Zealand had sent two public servants to the food conference at Hot Springs. No doubt they would write a good report and. it would be pigeon-holed. Parliament would probably have no opportunity of meeting them and getting from them their impressions of the conference. Mr Langstone had represented New Zealand at Ottawa. That had cost a lot of money. When, he asked, were they going to have a report from Mr Langstone. It was right and proper that he should tell Parliament what had been done. Mr Langstone: He has to get the opportunity. Mr Holland; It is the Government’s duty to give him that opportunity. He should report not to the Easter conference of the Labour Party, but to Parliament and the people of New Zealand. This is the place to make explanations. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) rose to a point of order, saying that consideration of a bill to establish a new department did not provide for a review of the work of any legation or Minister. Mr W, J. Poison (Opposition, Stratford): Surely if we are discussing the bill we can make reference to the work of the High Commissioners? Mr Fraser replied that a full opportunity would be given later. Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga) said that the House would like to hear Mr Nash give an account of his work at Washington. Mr Holland .said that when the House was considering the bill it should be able to have the advice of the member for Waimarino. on the pitfalls to be expected in setting up legations. None could give better advice The Speaker (the Hon. W. E. Barnard) ruled that references to past administrations of legations could have some relevance, although he did not think this was an occasion when the Minister at Washington or the Minister at Ottawa should be called on to give a full account of his work overseas. Mr Langstone said that there were the greatest bonds of concord between Canada and New Zealand, and he had never felt more at home. He had tried to take the right course and was prepared to stand by all his actions. In the course of his speech, Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) said that they wanted to be sure that what had happened at Ottawa did not happen_ elsewhere.