Mr. Holland Will Honour Labour's Commitments

Chronicle (Levin), 7 December 1949, Page 6

Mr. Holland Will Honour Labour's Commitments

• Press AssociationJ

(Per

W ELLLN GTON, Dec. 6. Wlien the Prime Minister-elect held his Press conferenee todaji he said that iie and his deputy leader, Mr. Holyoake, had met the Prirne Minister ('Mr. Fraser) and had field -diseussions on the friendiiest possibie basis. ' ' Oompli- ■ ments vvere exelianged and the hope was expressed that the change over would be made as sinooth and as happy as possibie," said Mr. Holland. Mr.. Fraser said he would place at my disposal any advice that he could, ' ' continued Mr. Holland. ' ' Questions requiring urgent decision were discussed between us and I gave the Prime hi . ister an assurance that any commitments the Government had,entered into, wouid be fionourabiy observed. That is, if the Government had said somethmg would be done in February then it will be done in February. 3 recognise that any Government must make certain agieements and we do not feel we should undo those things." Mr. Holland said he would malce a stateipent on Tfiursday after the party caucus -'on the question of the composition -of' the Cabinet. Immediately Ihe new (ioverrunent took office, continued Mf. Holland, . it would consider four major questions, and on the Government 's ability ^o put into praetice its poJiey 011 thosfe matters without amendmg legislation, would depend whether an earljy session' of Parliament would be/ held;, , . / The' questions were: — C) The alteration of the Land Saies Act. (2) The implementation of changes promised social security legislation, particularly as it applied to increasing the allowahle other income of widows and age heneficiaries from £1 to 30s weekly. (3) The restoration of the right of priva'te i "irance companies to handle •workers' . compensation insurance. (4) The changes proposqd in the paymeixt of overtime in the huilding industryi Mr;' Holland said that he had discussed with 'the I'rime Minister the mattp.r of the (Jommonwealth Prime Miniaters ' conferenee at Colombo in February" and he would have an annoiince'ment to make on that matter in the next few days. So far as New Zehland's overseas representation wTas concerned, an4 the Moseow Legation in particular, ' ' we intend to implement our policy and we will work through the British Foreign Oiiice for Moseow," said Mr. Holland. He had- had no thoughts at all about appointments to the Legisfative Council so that the Labour majority would be overcohie. Mr. Holland said he was examining the legal position to see if it would be possibie administratively to free building secticms from the piv .it restrictions, but this must avvait the time wlien he was in a positiou to obtain the advice* of the Crown Law officers to see if they could lind a way. Mr.* Holland also explained a difficuJty he faced over the representation of the Maori race on the Exeeutive Council. The chosen representative must be a Maori or half-blood Maori, and the position could not be met by appointing someone to the Legislative CouiiQ.il unless he were made the leader and. thus a member of the Executiy.e Council. Lt turns out that the Dominion;s London representation -is not as urgent as at first reported because the term of Mr. W. J. .Tordan was recently extended until August, 1951.