Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1941. REPRESENTATION IN LONDON.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1941. REPRESENTATION IN LONDON.

T?OR a number of reasons, a good deal, of interest is likely to ' be taken in. this country in the announcement that the Australian Cabinet has asked the Federal Prime Minister, Mr ]l. G. Menzies, to go to London again as soon as possible. While he has spoken of political and international circumstances which, may raise difficulties, Mr Menzies himself appears to be quite definitely of opinion that Australia, and presumably other Dominions should have Ministerial representation in London, where, as he observes, “decisions ok great importance as to Empire policy and. ■strategy inevitably are made, and where the powers and functions of the ablest High Commissioners are necessarily somewhat circumscribed."

Should this view be accepted in New Zealand—it is presumably bound at least to be considered by the Government, and Parliament—the question may arise of our own Prime Minister extending his stay in the Mother Country instead of returning, as he plans at present at the end of this month or early next month. In this country, as in Australia, political circumstances are not without their bearing on the question of ALinisterial representation in London. Our political circumstances are by no means parallel with those of the Commonwealth, since the Government headed by Mr Fraser is in office with a substantial majority, but a new approach may now be considered possible or advisable to the question of whether a general election should or should not take place towards the end of this year.

Without going into details which may well be classed in these days of emergency as irrelevant—more so than ever in view of the menacing outlook in the Pacific —it may be said that there is need in New Zealand of a removal of political obstacles to an undivided concentration on the prosecution of the war. A great many people no doubt are waiting for a lead from the Prime Minister on the question of the general election, being held at the usual time or postponed. If there is any likelihood of Mr Fraser being called upon to extend his stay in the United Kingdom, it becomes all the more necessary that the election question and that of forming or not forming a National Government should be cleared up as soon as possible.

A good deal, may depend, upon whether the Federal Cabinet is acting upon its own initiative, or is responding to a suggestion by the British Government in asking 3fr Menzies to go to London again as soon as possible. Any suggestion of the kind made by the British Government no doubt would be made to all the Dominions. It may be noted, however, that the Prime Minister of South Africa, Field-Marshal Smuts, recently declared himself opposed to the suggestion that statesmen of the Dominions should join the War Cabinet in London, which in effect is what the current Australian proposal implies.

The British Commonwealth is the first world State in which dispersals and centralisation are fundamentals (Field-Marshal Smuts observed). Suppose a crisis developed in the Middle East. Am I not better in Africa? Mr Churchill can consult me as easily as if I were in a London hotel.

There is the more to be said for this view since a Dominion Prime Minister visiting London is of necessity out of full touch with the only Parliament to which he is responsible and from which he derives his authority. Another opinion evidently is held, however, by the Commonwealth Cabinet. We have our own reasons in New Zealand for desiring that the whole position should be cleared up and resolved as speedily as possible.