REAL CO-OPERATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 117, 14 November 1939, Page 8

REAL CO-OPERATION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In you/issue of November 11, the Hon. Walter Nash is reported as wanting a new definition of "co-opera-tion." I offer him one which would appear to. fit his own ideas' on the subject: "You do as I want." Most of the rest of us. accept the conventional view that there are obligations on all parties. Of the people of New Zealand, half, perhaps less, perhaps more—certainly a very considerable, number —bitterly resent much of what Mr. Nash and his colleagues have done to them and fear that their liberty is being lost and that their country is being brought perilously near to ruin. Probably never in its history has New Zealand been so divided as in the last few years yet all its people are as one in their convictions regarding the present war. All are waiting for,, and would respond as one man, to a sincere call for unity in the present effort. This golden opportunity of. reuniting a tragically divided people is being lost by a Government which is lacking the breadth of view and the statesmanship which would concede something to conciliate its opponents —a Government which wants one-way co-operation and offers co-operative words rather than deeds.

Some hundreds of thousands of New Zealand's best and most intelligent citizens, many of whom fought in the last war and who as 100 per cent. New Zealanders concede to Mr.' Nash' and his friends no superibrity of patriotism, have been waiting since September 4 for the opportunity of doing something freely and voluntarily to help the war against. dictatorship. Thounsands of business men of high principles, the majority probably exsoldiers, resent being treated as potential profiteers ' and exploiters. They resent the entire lack of opportunity of assisting in the urgent task of reconstruction of the country's dying trade. They l-esent the blundering ef-, forts of those who know nothing of business or the connection of cause and effect and who make no effort to learn from those who have the means'of informing them. Are we aske_d to "co-operate" by meekly accepting' the present muddle which masquerades as import "selection"? Are we asked to co-operate by accepting, a, method of,; price,; control which: has- already broken' 1 becauserit; does riot provide for the very cooperation which Mr. Nash is now seeking to define?, ' > ■ ,

Mr. Nash's opponents are patx-iotic citizens who : are sincerely anxious to use their talents,' energies, knowledge, and experience in reconstructing the country's resources for the war effort. Will he make a sincere effort to cooperate with them, matching: sacrifice vyith sacrifice, concession with concession? I say deliberately that no sign has yet been shown of any let-up in the Government's utter indifference to the lot of any group which does not include a majority of its supporters. There has Joeen ho effort to recruit their assistance in any other capacity than yes-men to an accelerated programme of complete socialisation of the country.

One is entitled to wonder as to the type of co-operation that would bs forthcoming from MrV Nash were he in. opposition at this time. One of his colleagues leaves no doubt by stating plainly ;■■ that, under the same circumstances, he;would do the same as in the last war. Such statements do nothing for national co-operation. There is, as" Mr. Nash must well know, a widely held wish that political considerations be abandoned and the best administrative brains and experience in both parties be used in the war, effort. There is obviously real need of 'this. Also we should be feeling better co-operation if caucus government be replaced by real Parliamentary government. Mr. Nash will not need to be reminded that the third phase of impor,t restrictions finds this drastic measure still undebated by our elected Legislature. In spite of all this and in spite of the opinion of many that the Government's capacity for organisation, and administration is of a low order, the country is solidly behind it in all its> genuine war measures. The New Zealander, like the Englishman, can criticise and yet be 100 per cent, loyal. There is no lack of real co-operation in regard to the war, and there will be none. Meantime many business,; people * are ; "co-opera U ing" by relihqttishirig their businesses; the public will soon be "co-operating" by going without certain goods. This has nothing* to do with the war and we will not, willingly^ co-operate m saving a Government which tries desperately to hide its business and administrative incapacity and the failure of its reckless experiments under the skirts of it's war. effort.—-I am, etc., :

ANTI-HUMBUG.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is too bad that the Hon. Walter Nash should have to spend some of his valuable time in making a statement about "co-operation.", We all know that his time must be fully taken up- in preparing lor his nightly broadcasts. I notice that Mr. Hamilton also speaks of co-operation at all his meetings in connection with' war ■ measures. Mr. Nash evidently thinks that Mr. Hamilton should not be holding meetings at present, but I think Mr. Nash has the advantager-he can broadcast to the same audience every evening, whilst Mr. Hamilton has to talk to a different audience on each occasion, hoping, of course, that a few of his words will reach the Press.

I, also, have become interested in the word "co-operation," and I do not think that this can come about until those in the Nationalist camp and those in the Labour camp have learnt; to "honour all men." Then when one person makes a statement of truth as it appears to him, another will not say it is "beneath contempt," but will give a perfectly good reason for his difference of opinion.—I am, etc.,

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