AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 162, 8 June 1940, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

MR MENZIES ANSWERS CRITICS. SYDNEY, June 7. The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) addressed a representative gathering of businessmen to-day. He took the opportunity to reply to his critics, who, lie said, were “sniping ..at him in all parts of Australia.’’ Mr Menzies complained chiefly about criticism even by his own supporters, who in their clamour for a National Government declared that such government would i actually be in existence if another Prime Minister were at the head of affairs. Mr Menzies reiterated that a National. Government worthy of the name must include the political Labour Party. That was at present impossible. The Labour Party resolutely refused to have anything to do with a National Government.

“You might invite Labour into the Ministry,” he said, “but the moment you hinted that we were likely to bring in conscription you would destroy your chance of getting Labour’s co-operation. I. personally, am not going to participate in a . National Government if it means that the policy in which yon and I believe is to be modified ami chopped down to suit the policy Of or placate the Opposition. I emphasise that a National Government can only''he brought about at sacrifice of the Empire training scheme and our pol’cv of sending more and more troops abroad.”