BASIC FEATURES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1942, Page 2

BASIC FEATURES

OF WAR ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT EXPLAINED BY MR. HOLLAND. HONEST ATTEMPT TO BRING ABOUT UNITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.., WELLINGTON, This Day. Staling that as some misunderstanding appeared to exist as to various as- . pects of the new War Administration, the deputy-chairman of the War Cabinet and Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, last night issued an explanation of points which he said should be clarified. The basic feature of the agreement, he said, was that the War Cabinet was to be in supreme control of the direction of the entire war effort of the country and consists of six members, three being from each party to whom would be added the Minister of Finance on his return from Washington. Mr Holland also referred to the proposal for the extension of the life of Parliament. LIMITED AGREEMENT. "As I have made clear on many occasions. I have always stood for and advocated a completely reconstructed non-party Government, and no one could have striven ■ more assiduously toward that objective than I have done,” said Mr Holland. “Unfortunately a national Government has not been* possible of achievement, and negotiations were entered into between the Prime Minister and myself to explore the possibilities of finding an alternative basis of political unity. Everyone in New Zealand knew of these negotiations, but I did not receive a single objection. “The negotiations, in which the entire War Cabinet often participated resulted in the agreement recently announced, and before it was finalised, it was endorsed not only by the Parliamentary caucuses of both parties, but also by the Dominion executive of the National Party, with representatives present from all but one distant centre. “I am prepared to acknowledge without qualification that the full details of the arrangement were not explained at the outset, and this has led to some misunderstanding. The main points of misunderstanding appear to be: (1) The part to be played by the War Cabinet; (2) the size of the War Administration; (3) the continuance of the domestic Cabinet; (4) the postponement of the elections.

I SPHERES OF AUTHORITY. “Whereas, under the old arrangement, only some of the members of the Wai’ Cabinet had particular tasks to perform, the new agreement assigns to each Minister an important and highly responsible sphere of authority and administration. To assist the Wap Cabinet and to carry out the decisions of that body are seven Ministers, four from the Labour Party and three from the Opposition, who together with the members of the War Cabinet form the War Administration. “Again, each Minister will have a particular sphere of war work for which he will be responsible. The duties assigned to Opposition Ministers, subject to, the direction of the War Cabinet, are as follows: —(1) The supervision of the war expenses; (2) the co-ordination of war ' and Armed Forces in the South Pacific area; (3) primary production and food supplies for war purposes; (4) civil defence in all its phases; (5) national service; (6) an equal associated share in supply and munitions production. “The following departments are administered by the Labour Ministers of the War Administration, subject to the direction of the War Cabinet wherever their activities impinge in whole or in part on the war effort: —(1) Finance; (2). supply, munitions, and Industries and Commerce; (3) defence —Army, Navy and Air; (4) transport and shipping; (5) industrial manpower; (6) health and hospitals; (7) native war activities. “Some departments, such as Education, Post and Telegraph, Railways, Social Security, and Internal Affairs, did not come under the jurisdiction of the War Cabinet, but most of them co-operate closely with it. The estimates of expenditure for these departments are approved in the ordinary way by Parliament. It should also be borne in mind that it was agreed, prior to the extension, of .the life of Parliament last year, that no domestic legislation would be introduced during the period of the arrangement without prior consultation, with the Leader of the Opposition.”

POSTPONEMENT OF ELECTIONS. Dealing with the postponement of the elections, Mr Holland said it had been agreed that the matter could be reconsidered at least once every year in an open session of Parliament, and the House itself could determine this question, but he and my colleagues felt that he believes the public would feel the same, that they would hesitate in the present critical stage of the war to plunge the country into the turmoil of a general elecion. “The terms of the arrangement may not be entirely satisfactory,” said Mr Holland, “but they do represent an* f honest endeavour to bring about a measure of political unity, and I feel justified in the circumstances in asking for a fair trial. If. say, in a. year s time, the public is dissatisfied?with- the results of the experiment, then I for one would not wish to continue with the arrangement, and I am sure that goes for my colleagues of both parties too.”