BROOK NO THREAT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 23 November 1939, Page 4

BROOK NO THREAT

RIGHT OF SPEECH

OPPOSITION LEADER

MR. SAVAGF, ANSWERED

NATIONALISTS’ OFFER

CO-OPERATION IN WAR

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

“It ill becomes the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, to allow his name to be put on a statement in the official newspaper of the Government. in which the Opposition is attacked for doing political work in New Zealand to which it is entitled,” said the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, last night.

“Mr. Savage can be assured that 1 will in no way stand for the limitation of free speech among those who, by reason of their being elected representatives of the people, are entitled to speak critically or constructively at this or any other time.

“Mr. Savage says what was an offence during the last war is an offence during the present war. If that is so. I want to repeat my earlier warning to the Government concerning subversive influences against which the Government has taken no action whatever. Statements which are disloyal and against the war in which Britain is engaged have already been uttered and published in the organised ranks of the Government's own supporters. There is ample evidence of subversive propaganda. Some of the political propaganda of the commercial broadcasting service should also receive the attention of the Government. Evidence of Good Faith “Since the Prime Minister in his statement has revived the question of co-operation between the Government and the Opposition, a question to which the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, did not return, I would like to place on record a further piece of evidence of the Opposition’s good faith right from the first offer of cooperation with the Government in the war effort.

“When the House of Representatives adjourned to enable the Government to consider its war measures, and after the Acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, had made it clear that the Opposition could expect contentious legislation, I thought the matter of such vital national, importance that I secured an interview with Mr. Fraser. I pointed out to Mr. Fraser it was obviously essential and in the Government’s interests to have a united war effort and. therefore, every effort should be made by the Government in caucus in considering the legislation to remove the most obvious causes of party dissension before the questions were brought on to the floor of the House. This, I contended, would in no way seriously embarrass the Government and would be a very real contribution towards public and sectional unity at a critical moment. Position to Assist “I assured Mr. Fraser, if he could secure the co-operation of his colleagues in this, then the Opposition, as an opposition outside the Government's counsels, as was intended, would undoubtedly be in a position to give very considerable general assistance in expediting the united war effort, and public reactions against a whole-hearted war effort could have been entirely avoided.

“Everyone should now be told, in fairness to the Opposition, that, the Government turned down this appeal from me and went right ahead with political legislation of a violent character. Now, with Mr. Fraser absent, its leaders have suppressed the truth in an effort to put the Opposition offside with public opinion. It has been an unfortunate blot on the New Zealand Government’s war record to date. My duty to the country as Leader of the Opposition is responsible and clear and no threat from the Prime Minister or anyone else will allow me to betray that duty. There is no need for a purge of the Opposition. It is playing and will continue to play its part to the full in the war.”