JOINT STATEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1943, Page 2

JOINT STATEMENT

MADE BY MESSRS COATES & HAMILTON LACK OF POLITICAL UNITY DEPLORED. NEED OF CONCENTRATION ON WAR EFFORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. That sufficient unity could not be obtained to avoid the turmoil associated with a general election was deplored by Mr Coates and Mr Hamilton, Ministers in the War Cabinet, in a joint statement issued yesterday. This was made when they were asked for comments on the statement by Mr. Kyle, M.P. for Riccarton, that a ‘win the war group,” with Messrs. Coates, Hamilton and Massey, M.P.’s as the leading members had been formed to contest Parliamentary seats at i.the General Election. “Mr. Kyle a purely personal view in his statement. Mr Kyle is free to say whatever he cares to,” say the Ministers in their joint statement. “In the meantime we are not so concerned in any form of party politics. In fact, when we consider the present war position with our men and our country practically engaged in a life and death struggle, the idea of a general election on the home front is repugnant. '“The fact that sufficient unity, which means the spreading of responsibility, cannot be agreed to so that a general election with all its turmoil and division could be avoided is to be deplored. With the grave struggle still in front pf us and our Allies, common sense seems to dictate that the 1 pursuance of party politics should cease and that public leaders should combine in directing New Zealand’s whole effort and capacity to one goal—defeating the enemy. “This will require the combined effort of all citizens in the country before it is over.”