LIVELY CRITICISM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20000, 27 July 1939, Page 5

LIVELY CRITICISM

LABOUR OPINIONS BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY SOME ANGRY CROSS TALK * NATIONALIST REJOINDERS ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE (Parliamentary .Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A feature of the Address-In-Re.ply debate in. the House of Representatives has been .the lively criticism by Labour members of the recent developments in British foreign policy. These views were so strongly voiced by Mr. W. T. Anderton (Lab., Eden), that some of his expressions provoked angry cross talk with Nationalist members. - Here was Parliament talking defence, said the Labour member, and successfully,,.calling on young men. to enlist for the defence of their country, because they realised the was endeavouring to bull'd Yip a nation worthy of respect, but, he continued, would the discussions in Tokio give to New Zealanders a greater interest in the service they might render to defend something which they felt was insecure? Doubt of Security “With a Prime Minister such as Mr. Neville Chamberlain, I doubt my security or the security of New Zealand,” he declared.

Mr. J. OBrien (Lab., Westland) Hear. Hear.

.Mr. J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn): If New Zealand could be sold— Mr. Anderton: Yes we were told that some parts of the Empire might have to look after themselves until Britain was in the position to deal with the matter The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Nat., Kaipara): What are you going to do about it?

Mr Anderton: In this House it is my duty, to assist — Col. J. Hargest (Nat., Awarua): To make the other fellow fightMr. Anderton, continuing: To make the mind of the people vibrate and see things as they really are. Bight to State Opinion

Continuing Mr. Anderton said he would not defer to any commissioned officer, though he had only been a bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery, but be would use his right to state his opinions On defence, not to be foolishly blinded by the idea of one’s country or one’s Empire, right or wrong. He would not do something against the best interests of New Zealand. The Labour Party had been forced against its earlier convictions to support rearmament. He never thought when he came to Parliament as a Labour man that he would find himself in that position, but Labour all over the world would make all. the preparation necessary to resist the tyranny of the Totalitarian States. They were doing this because they believed in democracy, freedom and liberty, because they believed in safety and the sanctity of treaties.