CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20910, 15 September 1939, Page 6

CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT

Determination on the part of all parties to co-operate in the common cause was convincingly demonstrated in the debates in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, when the House delegated to the Government almost plenary powers to deal with the national emergency. In ordinary circumstances the Opposition would have fought such legislation to the last ditch. As it was, it merely asked for an assurance that the utmost discretion would be used in the application of the powers, that politics should not enter into the matter, and that a time limit should be set, if possible, to the operation of legislation that places the control of every national activity in the hands of the Government without question. The assurances asked for were readily forthcoming from the acting-Prime Minister, who promised that as far as was possible those directly affected by the invocation of the emergency powers would be consulted before the laws were operated. Mr Fraser emphasised his desire to place a period to the exercise of emergency powers if possible. He has accepted as fairly as possible the postulation that the political truce has been adopted only for the duration of the emergency, and has spurned any suggestion that the Government would take advantage of the war situation to apply political theories to the economy of the country. With that understanding people of any political persuasion can enter whole-heartedly into the business of making New Zealand a unit of maximum efficiency to aid in the Empire’s common crusade. Responsible Ministers were emphatic in declaring that New Zealand must address itself seriously to the task of increasing production substantially. In this connection a statement by Mr Semple, Minister of Public Works, w r as particularly interesting. “When it comes to a collective effort in the interests of national security,” he said, “everything else sinks into insignificance. We are not wedded to any one of the public works jobs, and if the whole lot had to be stopped in the interests of production and safety, they would be stopped.” That is one of the most important aspects of the internal policy, and it is hoped the Government will concentrate upon it. This is no time for the unemployment of able-bodied men, nor is it a time for employment in non-essential industries merely for the sake of providing employment.