MEMBER FOE NAPIER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 11

MEMBER FOE NAPIER

ACTIONS DEFENDED. REFUSAL TO RESIGN. NAPIER, April 23. Strong opposition to many aspects of the Labour Government’s policy was expressed by Hon. W. E. Barnard, AI.P. for Napier, who recently resigned from the party, at a public meeting to-night, which lie had called to explain the reasons for the steps which lie had taken. He informed the meeting that lie did not see why he should comply with the request of the national executive of the party to resign the Napier seat, and said lie would submit himself to the electors at the appointed time. The meeting was by no means in accord with all Mr Barnard had to sov, and ho was called on to deal with many interjections, which at no time, however, got out of hand. “1 stand to the policy on which you have elected me to Parliament,” said Air Barnard. “It is not I who have run away from that policy. It is others, who were pledged to the electors equally with me. Why, therefore, should 1 resign? 1 will submit myself to your judgment at the appointed time, and Alinisters and members alike will have to do the same, and justify their conduct. “I shall continue ns before to work to 1 lie best of my ability and with all my energy to realise the aims and ideals of the Labour movement, winning this desperate war and building peace. But I shall do so as a free man—a believer in democracy, the enemy of dictation, and a good New Zealander. “My allegiance is to the King and to you ; not to King Roberts and his satellites, not to conferences and committees in which the serpent of Nazism rears its ugly head, not to Alinisters who arc responsible to the people just as I am. No man lightly leaves the company of the open road for the dangers and the loneliness of the pilgrim trail. I do not claim to be a hero, hut I do not claim to be a sincere and honest man. But I have a follow pilgrim, John Alexander Lee, who is concerned with me in one thing—loyalty to pledges.” LABOUR PRINCIPLES.

Air Barnard said he had resigned from the party “for the present.” Whether he would return depended upon whether certain wrong tendencies or evils were removed. He asked that lie bo believed when lie said bo bad not acted in such n way from selfish motives. and not from dislike of certain individuals or envy of them. He said that lie still held as firmly as ever to Labour principles and to the pledges which he gave in 1938, but the differences between the outlook of the National Party and the official Labour Party were becoming loss and less. Air Barnard attacked the Government’s war policy, saying lie bad a better right to go recruiting than Air Fraser. He asked who bad decided that a division of New Zealanders should be sent overseas, Air Fraser or the New Zealand Government. All Fraser bad refused to answer. Air Barnard said be stood as firmly as ever by the party's plank at tho last election—the maintenance and extension of control of the financial and banking system, till the representatives of the people were the sole authorities of the issue of credit and currency. The reception which was given Air Barnard at tlip conclusion of liis address was mixed, hones and a cry of “traitor” being mixed with cheering. Air Leo was present at the meeting. DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY BRANCH AT NAPIER. HASTINGS, April 20. Supporters of Hon. AY. F. Barnard, ALP. for Napier, formed n branch in Napier of the Democratic Labour Party. The president, vice-president, secretary treasurer, and three members of the executive of the new organisation were till recently holders of similar offices in tho Napier branch of the official Labour Party. In a statement after the meeting Air Barnard said that he had presided over a gathering of 60 or 70, a number of women being present, lie outlined tlie existing position and the general aims of the Democratic Labour Party, which he said were as follow: “The party stands for the principle of democratic control throughout the Labour movement, politically and industrially, aud for the carrying out ol the policy of the Labour Party as officially slated In tho electors during the election campaign of 1938, and specially for the giving of full effect to flic monetary plank of the Labour Party's platform as expressed in the party manifesto of 1935 and 1938. “The Democratic Labour Party.” Air Barnard added, “is strenuously opposed to dictatorship and aggression both at home and abroad, and will actively co-operate, in all genuine efforts to secure the operation of democratic and Christian principles, the abolition of the causes of international jealousv and war. and Die creation of conditions which will ensure a just and permanent peace and security.”