OPPOSITION’S REQUESTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20993, 21 December 1939, Page 6

OPPOSITION’S REQUESTS

Mr Adam Hamilton’s suggestion that on the return of the Hon. P. Fraser from Britain the New Zealand Parliament should be assembled to discuss the war situation in the light of Mr Fraser’s recently gained Knowledge is worthy of serious consideration by the Government. This request, and the suggestion from another quarter that a secret session should be held, as was done in England, are the national results of th-_ absence from the Cabinet of any representation of the Opposition party. There is an understandable desire on the part of those outside the councils of the Government that they should know precisely what is being done to assist with the war and to shape the Dominion’s own future. Closely related to the same subjects are recent discussions of a political truce or a coalition for the duration of the war. It is now obvious that a coalition is almost impossible, that a truce is desirable but not very probable, but that some form of Opposition representation in the Cabinet is imperative, even if it is only by means of a secret session, an occasional combined “Cabinet” discussion, or at least a frank disclosure to the Leader of the Opposition of the material points of the Government’s wartime policy. All of those expedients would probably have been rendered unnecessary had the Government co-opted the assistance and advice of representative members of the Opposition party and given them full access to the Cabinet discussions.

The simple position in New Zealand is that nearly half of the people are not represented by their chosen members in war policy discussions. Even if matters are being handled by the most capable men in the country, the fact remains that confidence would be strengthened and co-operation encouraged if representatives of the other political half of the people were taken into the Government’s confidence. No good argument has been adduced against such a procedure. It is the natural and proper thing to be done when all sections of the people are fighting for their freedom and for their very lives. It is not a question of yielding any executive power to the Opposition; it is only a matter of giving the Opposition the opportunity to judge intelligently in the light of all the facts whether New Zealand as a whole is pursuing a prudent course.