SOCIAL SECURITY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 11

SOCIAL SECURITY

Official Opening Of New Building MINISTERS’ SPEECHES Removing The Spectre Of Fear "‘This marks what, I hone, will be an historic event in the development of the greatest piece of social legislation that the world has yet seen,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, who was the principal speaker at the official opening of the Social Security Building in Aotca Quay, Wellington, yesterday afternoon. “We had some difficulty in establishing ourselves in these very fine premises,” added Mr. Savage, “but we are here, and that’s the main thing. When the Aitken Street building was destroyed by fire there were people who said, “They’re gone now, in any case.’ Well, we are not gone; we are here, I repeat, and we are going on.” Addresses were also given by the Minister of Health, Mr. Fraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, the M.P. for the district, Mr. Chapman, the Government architect, Mr. Mair, and Mr. James Fletcher, on behalf of the contractors.

More than a thousand members of the public attended the opening. Among the guests were Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for Great Britain, and Lady Batterbee.

At the conclusion of the ceremony Mr. Fletcher, on behalf of himself and his co-directors, presented the Prime Minister with a model of the building in the form of an inkwell stand, mounted on a marble base. Mr. Savage, in returning thanks, said he was confident that generations to come would bless the name of James Fletcher and everyone associated with him in the erection of the building.

The Prime Minister formally turned the key in the front door at 3 o’clock, and briefly declared the building open. Mr. Savage and the Ministerial party, followed by the guests, inspected the building from the top to the ground floor. Afternoon tea was served in the cafeteria, where the speeches were made.

An apology for absence was received from the Minister in Charge of Pensions, Mr. Parry.

Mr. Savage said the new building represented a triumph in craftsmanship and organization. It showed what New Zealand and New Zealanders could do if they just agreed to differ about details and get into the work. The contractors, Messrs. Fletcher and Love, had performed a wonderful job. The workers had given the utmost cooperation, and the efforts of all concerned were deeply appreciated.

Guaranteeing Security.

‘•This Government,” he continued, “is made up of elements who will never forget those who eo-operate for the common good. Those who do the work and increase production should not lose anything because of their industry; they should gain rather than lose. ‘We can’t do things too quickly because we will be out of work or will lose some of our income.’ Now that is in the minds of thousands and tens of thousands of the most honest men and women on earth. We have to remove that spectre of fear and insecurity and guarantee to them that when they make greater efforts to give better service they are going to share in the result. How much less could we do and be honest with ourselves?

“I hope the men who work on this job will realize they have friends in high places today so far as Government and administration go,” added Mr. Savage. “I want them to feel they are not going to be sacrificed in order to make a few individuals better off than they should -be. Our job is to lift those who give the service. Those who will work and come forward with us to greater heights will never be deserted so far as my colleagues and our supporters are concerned. After all, we have about 500,000 supporters in this country, and they count for something.” “Elements of Drama.” The Minister of Health said the sequence of events leading up to the construction of the building contained all the elements of the best drama. The building was a triumph for efficiency and organization. The Public Works Department officers responsible for the plants, the architects, and the draughtsmen, and the Fletcher organization, were all deserving of congratulation. The work set a standard that should be an example to all. He hoped that what had been accomplished in the erection of the building would be carried on by the staff that would occupy it. Already a great deal of preliminary work had been done to bring the extensive scheme of social security into operation. It would banish from this country the fear of want and poverty in its worst form. Back to Simple Ideals. “Some of us,” said Mr. Nash, “have claimed that by the legislation which, in this 'building, will be translated into action, New Zealand has taken a progressive step in advance of the rest of the world. In some respects that is so, but I am not sure that we are not just coining back to simple ideals that have actuated men since they ceased to live solitary lives. The idea of social security is as old as human society, and we still have some distance to go before we regain the security that was provided in the days when life was not so complicated as it is today. “Terrible distress and suffering can be borne by people who live alongside us and meet us every day, but modern society has become hard and aloof. We bear other people’s misfortunes with amazing ease. Poor laws and charitable aid are indications that underneath the hardness is an uneasy conscience and many countries have not progressed any further than that. “In New Zealand, however, we still live very close to the earth; life is comparatively simple and few of us are wealthy. Our ordinary men and women have never been satisfied with the attitude of the older lands to the sick and old, the blind and the unemployed and all the others who, for the time

being, are unable to carry on. This Government came into office with an urgent mandate to bring back simple values to human relationship. None of us, being human, can claim immunity from human misfortunes, and we realize that those who suffer today do not differ from us in the slightest.

“We intend,” added Mr. Nash, “that they, or we, if we suffer like them, shall receive a reasonable share of the wealth that all of us create. The simplest method is by a contribution from our incomes, and I do not know one decent individual who begrudges Ills share. We are trying to work with the friendly societies, and we couldn’t possibly christen this building in a better way than to hold a meeting here of the Government committee that is working out the best method to cooperate with the friendly societies. That meeting will take place between 5 and 5.30 this afternoon.” Mayor’s Congratulations.

“An historic occasion,” was the description applied to the opening ceremony by the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop. He said that when the building was started the Wellington City Council had been a little perturbed as to the possible effect of it on the main route into Wellington. He wished to thank Mr. Nash and the Minister of Railways, Mr. Sullivan, for the way they had met the representations of the city council and completely fulfilled its. wishes. Mr. Fletcher was taking a very active part in the Centennial Exhibition, and the social security building was just a thing he would take in his stride. On behalf of his fellow citizens Mr. Hislop congratulated the Government on the new building. To those who would work in it he wished every possible success. Mr. Chapman said that the disaster that occurred on February 2, whatever its cause, constituted a challenge to the Government. The co-operation of the Public Works Department and the goodwill of the workmen had enabled the Government to meet that challenge successfully. The social security scheme could be regarded as democracy’s answer to the dictators. The social security scheme aimed at by the Government had for its purpose the removal of the fear of want in the community.

“In addition,” said Mr. Chapman, “we have the desire to raise the standard of living of the fit and to ensure conditions which will make for happiness and progress under democracy. To that extent, I think, one can claim that the social security measures of the Government are the Government’s answer to dictators who would rob the people of freedom arid not in return give them a standard of living worth while.”

Delivering the Goods. The Government Architect, Mr. J. T. Mair, said the instructions received from the Minister of Public Works by Mr. Fletcher and himself were brief and characteristic: “Go to it.” No other work was retarded in any way on account of the social security building, and there was little departure from the normal functionings of the organization. “In getting this building erected in such phenomenally short time,” said Mr. Mair, “we have demonstrated that even a Government servant, if given freedom of action somewhat akin to that accorded in private enterprise, can deliver the goods. “Frequently a rough sketch and verbal instructions were translated by builders into structure before scale drawings or confirming written instructions could be prepared. I think that after inspecting the building the most sceptical will agree that the working conditions provided are ideal —they are in fact far superior,to those enjoyed by myself and staff or by the great majority of office workers.”

Mr. Fraser: Or by Ministers. “If superstitious people regard the destruction of the previous building as a bad omen for social security,” said Mr. Mair, “they can take comfort from the fact that since then the boroscope has been particularly propitious.” A tribute was paid by Mr. Mair to the way the tradesmen on the job had worked. Credit For The Work. “I am afraid that after listening to all the speakers, the impression might get abroad that the credit for erecting this building in record time of little over six weeks was largely due to my efforts,” said Mr. Fletcher. “Such is not the case. To you, Mr. Prime Minister, and your colleagues, has to go the credit for having had the confidence in myself and' the organizations I represent, when you accepted a statement from me that we could have this building ready for occupation in six weeks’ time.

“To Mr. Semple who, two hours after we had received instructions, had plant and equipment on the site and got busy levelling, we have also got to give credit. Also to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, who, as the result of the negotiations he had with the various trade union secretaries, did a good job of work. The saving through the fixing of a flat rate of wages has amounted to a very considerable sum of money, but that was only a very small part of his contribution. The spirit of enthusiasm which he had passed on to the union secretaries was in turn passed on to the men, with the result that this job has gone with a swing from the start.

“The Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, has also given his assistance, and through the co-operation of Mr. Ashwin, of the Treasury, Mr. Woods, of the Public Works Department, and Mr. Hannah, of the Public Works Department, we have had a staff of competent men handling all time sheets and accounts for all materials, with the result that we have had practically a daily audit on the job itself. “This building that you have gone through meant a considerable amount of planning, and redesigning, as compared with Aitken Street,” said Mr. Fletcher. “The two buildings have very little In common in either design, construction, or general details. This building has a basement extending the full length, just 200 feet, and portion of that below the tide level. It has, in addition, additional accommodation at the roof level for a printing room, and the general construction and finish is, as I have already said, quite different. “The redesigning of this building—and I just mention one item with over 20,000 bolts for the framing—meant a considerable effort, and to Mr. J. T. Mair, the Government architect, we have to pass on credit for this effort, ami to the others of his staff. “Now, what of the cost? I wish to state emphatically that this building, when the final figures have been arrived at, will prove to be one of the cheapest office buildings that have been erected to my knowledge, considering the finish of the whole and the accessories attached to this building. Compared with permanent office structures being erected in this city, I can definitely state that it will not be more than 50 per cent, of the cost, and I do not think there is any man who has examined this building but. will be forcbd to admit that, given fair maintenance, and taking into consideration that, every flashing, every downpipe, and every pipe in this building are copper, the life of this building should not be less than 50 per cent, of that of any permanent structure.”