Prime Minister At Hastings

Chronicle (Levin), 19 July 1949, Page 7

Prime Minister At Hastings

Press Association )

(Per

' HASTINGS, July 18. If tlie anti-democratic natioiis would cease to be a threat, if they would not plan and practise uggression with satellite nations and individuals throughout the world, we would liave no quarrel, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, when he opened his speaking ■ tour in favour of an affirnia'tive vote in the conipuisory miJitary training referenduui, at a meeting tonight. A parade of nearly 200 ex-service-men niarched to the Municipal Theatre to swell the crowd there to nearly 70U. The gathering was orderly thrpughoul with an absence of interjectors. The menace of war '"was not as threatening today as it was nine inontlis ago, Mr. Fraser said. 'lhen it looked as though a cloudburst not oniy of antagonism but also of aetive ag- • gression, was iniminent. If Britain and the United States had not niade a stand at Berliu, the anti-democratic nations would liave swept to the North Sea. It was only sheer necessity, Mr. i-raser added, which had eaused the Uiuted Kingdom to pursue a policy Oj conipuisory nnlitary training since the war. If war eame extermination faceu deniocracy. The democratic nations did not want war but in their desire to avoid bloodslied, they were not shutting their eyes to the need for being prepared. ' 1 We would be negieeting our bounden duty it we don't see the dangers and prepare to meet them, " he said. There were people in the trades unions and trades eouneils who hau oeeii niisled, Mr. Fraser continued. ' ii was wrong that any trades union oi trades council shouid be associated m auy anti-eonscription propaganda because tney' were Ussoeiating with people who would destroy this eountry. Mr. T. Omana and Mr. L. T. Tirikatene, M.P. 's ior i-.astern and Southern Mauri, spoke in Maori and Bnglish Jther speakers wero the Minister oi ^igriculiure, Mr. Oullen, and Mr. C. G c.. iiarner, M.P. for ilawke's Bay.