MR. HOLLAND SUGGESTS AN EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 9 August 1947, Page 5

MR. HOLLAND SUGGESTS AN EMPIRE CONFERENCE

AUCKLAND, August 8. The leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, will suggest to the Primi Minister that Parnament send a mes sage to Mr. Attlee offering to send representatives to London immediately to eonfer with the British Governiueni and obtain, lirstlv, an intimate lirst hand closeup picture of the crisis in Britain; secondly, Ihe degree oi urgencv; thirdlv, ways and mean.wliereby New Zealand can be of practieal assistance in overcoming the situ ation. Mr. Holland, who arrived from Wellington this morning. said he would propose this as soon as he returned tc the capital. " If Britain is agreeable we could have someone on the wav t( London within a week, " Mr. Hollani! stated. Ile added that he thought tlier. should be representatives from hoth sides of the House but this was a matter for the Government to decide. ' Ai an additional suggestion Air. Holland said he would recommend an Empire conference of delegates truly represen tative of each country. "The Empiri is in economic danger. A crisis is at hand and we are all in it," he stated, " We can emerge only by combined action, courage and effort but action and speed are the esscift-e of tlie con tract. We must assure Britain timi New Zealand and all her resourves, botli in manpower and otherwi.se, are at the Empire 's disposal in its hour of need.'lt was elear that the el'fects of the crisis, unless it be met and defeated would be felt in everv home through out the Empire. Britain had not got -enough of the kind of nioney she need ed lo b'uy tlie sort of goods she must have in order to live. If Britain failed New Zealand would fail too. There was 110 escapo. Mr. Holland emphasised that this was no oceasion for exploiting the situation for party political advanlage.