WANT IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27410, 24 July 1954, Page 2

WANT IN OTHER COUNTRIES

MR NASH’S WARNING

EFFECT ON N.Z. LIVING STANDARD (New Zealand Press Association) WELUNGTON. July 23 A warning that New Zealand could not continue to enjoy its high standard of living while other people were starving was given yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash). “If there is a right to enjoy life, we cannot keep it for ourselves; it must be for all,” he said. “That means we have got a terrific job to do —we have to find a way of lifting living standards in general.” Mr Nash was addressing a meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration. There were some countries that could not possibly have a living standard comparable with New Zealand’s because they did not have the resources, he said. “We are getting closer to one another, in time, every day, and we cannot hold what we have unless we think of helping them to lift their living standard,” he said. ‘‘We cannot keep our enjoyment of life if there is someone next door, in the next street, or in the next country who is dying because he cannot get enough to eat.”

It was wrong that people in New Zealand should have a life expectancy of twice that of India, for Instance. Everyone was entitled to freedom from want and from fear of want. New Zealand was doing something towards raising the living standards of others by its contribution under the Colombo Plan. “I would ask whether it should not be more.” he said.