MOST INSPIRING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 52, 17 March 1937, Page 14

MOST INSPIRING

Mr. Savage Gratified at Country s Response ■fs LABOUR'S PR0GRAMME Cheers that left ears ringing and the singing of "Por He's a- Jolly Good Pellow" that was deafening, greeted the Prime Miniiter (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) last evening when he arrived at the A. and P. entertainment Ihall to bq accorded a public social evening. The spacious building was packed to overflowing which means that there must have been well over 2000 people present. Those unable to gain admission listened outside per medium of loud speakers. The Prime Minister 'a message was that the Country must continue to go forward. "To-night we have with us one xvhom we can call friend," declared Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P., in calling on Mr. Savage to step up on to the platform. This the Prime Minister did ami-dst further cheers. "This is a wonderful thing," Mr. Hodgens added. "'A wonderful thing in conservative old Palmerston North." (Further cheers.) Mr. Hodgens spoke of Mr. Savage 's quick rise to fame and added that no man in New Zealand could take from their Labour Prime Minister the right that was his. (Cheers.) Mr. Savage would attend the Imperial Conference knowing that the hearts of the people were solidly behind him; that 400,000 electors had sent him to Parliament and abroad to speak for them. (Applause.) Mr. 'Hodgens sai-d (he would never forget the present gathering. Anything similar .had never been seen in Palmerston North before and it was a wonderful expression of confidence. Here wero the thanks of the people of Palmerston North for wihat he had done for them. Cheers were again accorded Mr. Savage as he rose to reply. TheJPrime Minister declared that the meeting was one of the most enthusi* astic he had ever seen and such a meeting was surely a reply to Labour 'a critics. The last session of Parliament had fulfilled a number of promises and the next session would see even greater things. Some there were who said they would not be allowed to do it but who was going to stop them? "I An afraid of nothing, ' ' declared Mr. Savage "When I have to get out with the aid of a stepladder I will willingly mab room for someone else" (laugbter). H; pointed out that it took time to accomplish things but the whole of Labour programme would be on the Statutc Books before the sounding of the drum- ; for the next election. There had been 1 those who accused him of not takiue the advice of the experts. "What wt have to do is to do some thinking f«i ourselves, ' ' declared the ' Prime MinL ter. "We have to go straight abe>with both feet on the ground." Mt. Savage stated that he did nt" want to make a political speech. H had come to Palmerston North for thi purpose of meeting the people and dis 1 covering how they were standing up t the Government of the day. The peopli had met him with o-pen arms and h^ could not have wished for anything better than that. The gathering tliut night was one of the most inspir.mg lic had attended and he desired to joic with Mr. Hodgens in thanking the-» artists and all who were present. Not all the credit for the present position of Labour was his. There were men and women working in the eanse long bo- , fore he reached these shores. AII hau played a part, some less heroiealiy than others, but he had to raise his hat tu the men and women who had eombed •the byways in the cause. M6n W6re needed to do the rough and tumbie work and they did not get into*the lime ligHt. On those men and women, liowcver, he would never turn his back. No man with a soul could let the people of i New Zealand down after reaching the heights of November, 1935. It wouli.' be criminal to blast their hopes.The Prime Minister then spoke of the calibre of those representing Labour in the Houso and said they were 55 men who could diseuss intelligently anything under the sun. Making New Zealand Known. He was leaving New Zealand on March 27 to meet rcprescntatives of other Dominions and diseuss with them problems afi'ectipg the welfare of the Empire. He was not aceepting the .iob

very ligntly oecause he reansed the magnitude of it.. However, he did not intend to do any running. The foundation of big things as far as New Zealand was concerned must ' be laid in New Zealand but the Government could not confine all its activities within the country. However, in Imperial matters the voice of New Zealand must always be heard. Hon. W. Nash would be thero as well and also Mr. W. J. Jordan, High CommissiGner. He did not know that any other Dominion would be better represented. Mr. Jordan had been critieised for his Geneva utteranees but he had only followod the programmo laid down in New Zealand. He had given the League of Nation.s this much to think about, that New Zealand had a voice of its own. Mr. Jordan had placed New Zealand on the map through his Geneva utteranees and soon the country would again be in the public eye as the result of the Imperial Conference. "We are not going there with the idea that we are infailible or have the last word, but convinced that we understand the desires of the people," stated Mr. Savage. "We have been through the mill with them and have not been born with silver spoons in our mouths. Our minds have been moulded in. the struggle of life -and if anything on our part can make a repetition of the World War tragedy impossible, it is going to be done." (Applause.) Mr. Savage said he wanted to know what was going on on the other side of the world. He had watched men come and go from previous Imperial Conferences but had been unable to discover anything from their reports. Now the Government had a great opportunity to do something' worth while at the Imperial Conference and the best only would be offered in the country 's name. "We are going on to victory and you are going with us," he declared finally amidst further cheering. Mr. Savage was presented with a lucky floral horseshoe from the Housewives' League.