THE WAR EFFORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 117, 14 November 1939, Page 10

THE WAR EFFORT

OPPOSITION'S PART

ATTACK BY MR. NASH

A VIGOROUS REPLY

ißy Telegraph—Press Association.)

HASTINGS, November 13,

'Mr. Nash has so far forgotten both the responsibility of his oAvn position and the true facts of the subject he was discussing as to make a venomous attack on Opposition members of Parliament on the subject of co-operation," stated the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) in a statement tonight in reply to Mr. Nash's assertion that the Opposition had debased its offer of co-operation in the war efforts by the continuance of political work. "Not'only was, Mr. Naslvs statement spiteful and untrue," said Mr. Hamilton, "but he made it when he had had in his possession for some weeks a letter from me pointing out the falseness of a very similar and equally vicious attack on the Opposition madein the official newspaper of the Government last month. Because this subject is of such importance today I owe it to the people of New Zealand to make the true facts known. EARLY OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. "The Opposition offered its co-opera-tion in the initial stages of the crisis which led to the declaration of war and that offer of assistance in any war effort was gladly accepted by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser). However, within a very few days Mr. Fraser stated clearly in. the House that political co-operation with the Government was not sought from the Opposition. He went so far as to tell the Opposition that very contentious and purely political measures would be introduced' within a few weeks which would undoubtedly be resisted I by the Opposition. " • j" "Nothing could have been a fairer | indication of what was expected of the I Opposition than that those political measures implementing the Government's policy of State Socialism were duly introduced after the declaration of war, as indicated by Mr. Fraser. The principal .ones were the Reserve Bank Amendment Act and the Marketing Act, than which there has been little more revolutionary and objectionable legislation. These Acts were deliberately introduced under the very first cloak- of war. "It is these instances of taking advantage of the national emergency and anxiety that have outraged, public opinion from one end .of New Zealand to the other. Was it any wonder? It is a blot for ever on Labour's record. No attempt by Mr. Nash to twist the truth will wipe it out. i "The next event in the .chain dealing with co-operation was a statement published in the Government's official newspaper that the Labour Party organisation must not be relaxed in any way. In fact, any tendency to slacken* must be avoided. Mr. Nash's statement that each Labour member of Parliament was advised to cease campaigning was just another example of sham. LABOUR PROPAGANDA. "Mr. Nash knows, as does every person in New Zealand today, that ever since the declaration of war the Labour Party has intensified every party effort and capitalised every difficulty to its own party, advantage. Every radio station blares out Labour propaganda. Even Mr. Nash himself has become a Party radio propaganda star, making one political talk after another in an effort to excuse and camouflage his Government's disastrous policy. "In every publication the Labour Party movement has preached non-co-operation since the war started, carrying the attack so far as to make direct personal attacks on the National Party together with definitely antiBritish statements. "Scarcely had the House risen than the Government's newspaper made a violent attack upon the Opposition in a featured article accusing the National Party of obstructing war efforts and deliberately attempting to associate our names with profiteering and sabotage, presumably on the same propaganda basis as Hitler's 'big lie' ideas. As soon as the article was published I wrote to Mr. Nash, as Acting Prime Minister in Mr. Fraser's absence, and asked for an explanation for this baseless attack. He ultimately sent me a reply, carefully avoiding the point I raised, and stating that he could not give an opinion himself. "I have repeatedly drawn the attention of the Government to other subversive propaganda. I drew attention to, threats by Mr. Arthur Cooke, of the New Zealand Workers' Union, to farmers; I drew attention to the propaganda from the Government radio stations, both national and commercial, headed by the controller, Mr. Scrimgeour, who talks every Sunday urging the overthrow of the capitalist system —the British system; I drew attention to direct propaganda by various sections against assisting Britain in the war. OPPOSITION'S DUTY. "Nothing is done to stop this kind of breeding-ground for dissension. Actually it appears to have official approval in many cases," declared Mr. Hamilton. "The Opposition has a responsible position in the governing of New Zealand, and the people are not in the mood today to tolerate such attacks as Mr. Nash has made upon the Opposition. j "I would like to conclude by stating that the Opposition has received no cooperation of any kind from the Govern- i ment since our first offer. I have received no more information than any member of the public, nor have I in any way been in any different position than I was as Leader of the Opposition before the offer of co-operation was given. In spite of this members of the Opposition and the National Party are putting every bit of their support into the war effort as apart from the political field. The Government cannot deny that, or the great assistance it has received from our people."