WA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1940, Page 4

WA

OPPOSITION FOR UNITY

REPORTED MODIFICATION OF CONDITIONS. AGREEMENT BROUGHT NEARER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The conditions under which the Opposition is prepared to join with the Government in the direction of New Zealands war effort were discussed at a caucus of Parliamentary members of the National Party yesterday Though no statement was made for publication, there is reason to believe the Opposition is anxious to see political unity brought about without delay, even though this may involve the sacrifice of some of the conditions which it first sought. A caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party had been called for yesterday, but was postponed till today. After the Labour caucus it is expected the leaders of the two parties will again confer with a view to reaching some final agreement. It is known that the Opposition is anxious that the authority of the proposed War Cabinet should be extended beyond that suggested in the original proposal of the Prime Minister. Should an agreement be reached between the parties during the next few days, it is probable it will have some influence on the Financial Debate, which has now extended over three sittings, and the subsequent discussion on the Estimates of Departmental expenditure. In such circumstances a protracted discussion would be unlikely.