WAR CABINET WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 8

WAR CABINET WORK

By Telegraph—Press Association.

VERY MUCH ON THE JOB' mr. hamilton's reyiew

Invercargill, Sept. 21. "We are spending £750,000 a week, more than £100,000 a day, on war work to-day. The War Cabinet is a team of five men contracting for and directing the expenditure on a scale not exceeded by the entire Budget of the Dominion only a few years ago." That was the comment of the Hon. Adam Hamilton, Minister in the War Cabinet and Leader of the Opposition, when he was interviewed in Invercargill last night about the work of the War Cabinet. Settled Down to Task. "We have settled down to the job after the initial stage," he said. "It is now some two months since the War Cabinet was formed." "People often ask what we are doing and how we are getting on," Mr. Hamilton continued. "I am afraid it is not the sort of business that is accompanied with full page advertisements, but I can assure everyone that we are very much on the job. "I would say that those who stop to think for an instant must realise the magnitude of the task. The War Cabinet directs and controls our entire war effort and the emergency regulations connected with that effort. The work of the Cabinet in the main is secret and the subjects and information discussed must be retained in the fewest possible hands, whether it is supplies, ships, equipment, troop movements, munitions or general organisation of information from various parts of the* world. The reason for this is clearf That is why it is not publicised Ln the normal manner." Mr. Hamilton explained that the War Cabinet normally met every day. It had met on practically every day since it was set up in July and it had frequently sat all day. Information was received from various parts of the world, was considered and replies given. Important decisions of this nature were made almost every day. All of the work was of an immediate and urgent nature. Members of the War Cabinet maintained as close touch as possible with the various training centres so as to make contact, both personal and practical.

Making Reasonable Contribution. When asked if he considered, in the light of his experience on the War Cabinet that New Zealand is making and plaiining to make a reasonable contribution to tlie Empire's cause, Mr. Hamilton replied, "Emphatically, yes." He added,' "We in New Zealand had ground to make up. Who in the Empire, the Mother Country included, has not had ground to make up? We are making it up. Wherever New Zealand forces face the foe they will be trained and well equipped for any emergency. Every day, every hour sees a further improvement in this. No stone must be left unturned. Of course talk will not win the war but I want to say confidently that the plan for New Zealand's war effort will take our people right up to the collar in the great work ahead." Mr. Hamilton continued: "The question I ask is, do the mass of the people in New Zealand, as well as their leaders, yet realise the extreme emergency and the dire necessity? I fear sometimes that we who are far from the shattering of bombs and the destruction of conflict are a; little apt to continue a pleasure-loving peace tirrie tempo in thought and action. To-day I emphasise that we must throw our' full weight in the scales f'or victory. We have by no means reached the stage in this conflict where we have not got to exert ourselves to the utmost to succeed."