LABOUR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24906, 20 June 1946, Page 3

LABOUR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

REPORT ABOUT OLDER MEN DENIAL BY MR FRASER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 19. Strong resentment at the suggestion yesterday that the Labour Party was considering rejecting some of its Paf" liamentary representatives because of age was expressed by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) at the Labour Conference this morning. “We have never heard of it, and I believe we will never hear of it in our party,” said Mr Fraser, who added that the retirement of members on the grounds of ill-health was an entirely different matter. An article in the “Dominion" headed “Step to Oust Older Labour Men Taken at Party Gathering” was emphatically contradicted by Mr Fraser, whose remarks were repeatedly applauded. He said there had been some reference in the annual executive report to members of the Parliamentary Labour Party who might not be in good health, but he had never heard discussed the question of old members in the party being considered for rejection. “A person who would make a suggestion of that kind is riot fit to blacken the boots of the older members of the party—he is not fit to be in the party at all. I refuse to believe any member of the party made it." he said. “Strenuous Life of Parliament” “It is not a question of the a§e, but of the strenuous life of Parliament and the toll it takes on health. That life has worn down some of our greatest figures.” Mr Fraser referred to Mr H. E. Holland and Mr M. J. Savage, saying that they were mentally brilliant right up to the end of their lives. At his last Cabinet meeting Mr Savage had as clear a brain as ever and was still a great leader. Mr Fraser said that both men had been victims of overwork, not age. “I, as leader of the Labour Party, never considered the age of my colleagues," he continued. “Mr Semple is more vigorous and youthful to-day than he has ever been in his life. He formulated a policy that caught the imagination of practically everybody in the country who will try to indulge in the sincerest form of flattery —imitation.

“It would be a scandalous thing, alien to the Labour movement and opposed to its idealism and spirit, if we were to say that some person who had given his whole life to the movement and helped to lay the foundations of its success- could be thrown aside solely because of age. I would never be a party to that Never!” On the other hand, said Mr Fraser, it was the duty of party members, indluding himself, if they felt they were not fit to carry on the strenuous life as a member of Parliament and had had medical advice to that effect, to accept such advice and help the party in some other way. In any case, Mr Fraser pointed out. local organisations of the party and the national executive had a duty in selecting candidates, and old and young members had an equal opportunity of being selected.