NATIONAL PARTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1943, Page 3

NATIONAL PARTY

$ CAUCUS IN WELLINGTON MR HOLLAND RE-ELECTED LEADER. SPECIAL COMMITTEES TO BE FORMED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The re-election of Mr S. G. Holland as leader of the Parliamentary section of the National Party was a unanimous decision at a caucus of its members in Parliament House yesterday. No other appointments were made by the caucus, which is to be continued today, when members will also meet the Dominion executive of the party. ■ With the exception of Brigadier J. Hargest (Awarua), who is in Switzerland after escaping from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy, there was a full attendance of members, including Mr T. C. Webb, who contested Kaipara as an Independent Nationalist, but had the backing of the National Party. The caucus met in the morning, afternoon and evening. At the third session new members were given advice concerning the intricacies of Parliamentary procedure, and the making of representations on behalf of constituents.

One of the important proposals submitted to the caucus by Mr Holland related to the appointment of small committees so that in a systematic way the specialised knowledge of members as a result of their own experience m their respective spheres of activity cculd be utilised to deal with every phase of political activity. The personnel of these committees is unlikely to be determined in the meantime, as Mr Holland wishes to obtain the views of his colleagues as to the best appointments. In an interview last night Mr Holland said that the National Party had returned from the election strengthened numerically and with a greatly enhanced reputation. “We will endeavour to live tip to the trust placed in us by the electors, and will continue the methods used by the National Party in the general election in which personalities and recriminations were put in the background.” added Mr Holland. “The National Party is very much exercised over the immense problem of reconstruction which is necessary as an inevitable consequence of war. We believe that it is possible to have a better world, but we are convinced that any better world must be produced by our own efforts. The National Party is determined to study every aspect of tins question, which affects the lives of every member of the community. “One could not meet our enlarged team without being refreshed and stimulated,” Mr Holland continued. “The debating strength of the Opposition has been greatly increased and the public is, I feel sure, looking forward to hearing a virile Opposition Party in action. I am sure they will not look m vain.”