PERSONAL TOUCH

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

PERSONAL TOUCH

Mr. Savage's Appeal To Citizens MISSION TO LONDON * 'How many of you know that your Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, walked the streets of Palmerston North 25 years ago, and earned his daily bread here?" asked Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P., of the gathering of about 2000 citizens who welcomed Mr. Savage at the civic reception in the Square yes- ' terday afternoon. Mr. Hodgens said the city could claim Mr. Savage as one of its own. Judging by the enthusiasm, and by the hundreds who clamoured afterwards to shake hands with their Premier, accepting his pledge of personal friendship, the citizens were • fully ready to obey the spirit of Mr. Hodgens' suggestion. Welcoming the Premier on behalf of citizens on the occasion of his first visit in that capacity, the Mayor, Mr. A. E. Mansford, said the enthusiasm with which Mr. Savage had been received in other centres demonstrated that the Prime Minister had won tho : co-operation of the people of the Do- , minion which he had requested after the election. They had also shown their ' appreeiation of him as the first Prime Minister leading a Labour Party o'n to the Treasury benehes (applause). Even those who did not agree fully with the Government 's programme were at one as to the ard6nt slncerity of the Prime Minister. He had faced many disadvantag'es in life, but had got on by grit,3 det6rmination and ambition. "I know uelter tnau anyone e.w8 m this city of the saerifice of time, leisure and pleasure made by Mr. Savage in the interests of the people of not only Pal- - merston North but of the whole of the Dominion," said Mr. Hodgens. "While he legislated for the 40-hour week he worked up to 88 hours a week himself to bring down legislation furthering his ideal for the welfare of the people of tho Dominion. On his tour of the j South Island he received an inspiring I rosponse ffom the people, and again in j his home city of Auckland he received a response which must have cheered him greatly. Then in Rotorua he was acclaimed by the nativo people who shcwed their gratitude for what lie had 1 done for their raee. He has given his j solemn word as a man and re-affirmed •j ifc as Prime Minister that he will not I lafc th® peopla of New Zealand down.

Bome B»y ne is an idealist, and that; some of his utteranees are impossible of being carried out. But so long a« we have this idealist for Prime Minister, j whoever tries to drive a wedge be-' tween you and the Prime Minister is ia for a difScult time. We will have no: need to be ashamed of our Prime Minister when he goes overseas. To-day I know the people of Palmerston North will Tenew their pledges of confidence in hira. His position he holds by virture of his own sincemy. All, whether with him or against him politically, will f ollow him with their good wishes overseas. I hope every contact he makes in Britain will be as satisfying to him as I know the legislation of the last few montlis has heen." £ Programme Only Beginnlng. ) Greeted with cheers, 'ihe Prime Minister rose .to say that Palmerston North had provided an experience- for him | such as would make a dead man live. again. The demonstration accorded him showed what the people of the city were thinking about things generally and politics particularly. One would •be less than human not to be inspired , by the exhibitions of goodwill which j had been his privilege in recent weeks, ; coming from every section of the community. His struggle through life had given him adequate knowledge of what the people had to go through; he had not been brought up on a bed of roses or born with a silver spoon in his mouth, said Mr. Savage. He had been assoqiated with the* people in adversity, and so knew intimately what they had to contend with. "We are not infailible; we have not yet turned out one quarter of the 'goods' we promised you. But I promise you again in the name of Labour that I am going to lead the way to greater things. I am going to give you . the 'goods' we promised before the elec-' tion. If we have not gone more than a quarter of the way, it will be admitted that we have made substantial achievements. The 40-hour week, apart from anything else, gave the benefit of the machine to the: people. Bestoration' of buying power did likewise. But we hav® a long way to travel before we • make of machine the true servant of ■man instead of master. Before the last election I said that the problem facing ■ us was one of distribution rather than 'production, and that is essentially true to-day. I give you my promise that we !are going the rest of the journey. " ( Basis of Trade Expansion. ■ Problems of peace and war and other [matters concerning the British Comimonwealth would be diseussed at the llmperial Conference after the CoronaItion, said Mr. Savage. He intended to !tell the delegatea to the conference iwhat he was telling the people of New 'Zealand, that if it was desired to expand trade, it could be done only be ex-1 panding the buying power of the people' in Britain and the Dominions. Thera was'no other foundation for expanding' trade, just as it would be agreed that: the buying power of the eommunity was! the basis of the progress of Palmerston' North, so was it with the nations. Ex-J pansion of buying power must begiu! with the people at the lower end of the: scale. Foreign policy, too, would be a major1 item on- the agenda of the conference.j If peace and war were to be debated, the position of the people must again be considered. It must be admitted and realised that the foundation of peace must be an ec.onomic one. Until eco-' nomic security was assured, the risk of war could not be left behind. The Imperial Conference would have to consider that aspect of the problem. "I will return to say that if New Zealand is to enjoy a further expansiou of trade, it must rest on the further expansion of the buying power of our own people," said Mr. Savage. New Zealand First. "In the name of the Government I say that no service human labour can provide is too good for the people of Palmerston North and the rest of New Zealand. What is necessary, especially for the welfare of the children, will be provided. A drab educational background is no good for any child or teacher, and so long as such disadvantages persist the nation is suffering. The raee of the future, whether on the battlefield, in business competition or elsewhere, will be won by the educated races of the earth. In that raee we want New Zealand to be not last but first. If we as a Government do our duty faithfully to the children all will be well. ' ' Mr. Savage said he realised that he as a political force lived only as long as he had the will of the people. Ifc was that public approbation which he desired; he would wish to be with the people in defeat as well as victory. Speaking of the native raee, he said he had realised in recent weeks what a wonderful people they were, and what a tragedy it would be if they lost their individuality. He had attended a sacred concert in Rotorua and had been impressed by the emotional depth that was behind the performance. The Maoris had indeed hearts of gold. Their fine 'qualities were appreeiated by the Government which was not going to saerifiee them, bnt elevate them and 6neourag6 them to live in harmony with th6 white people. Combining for the common good, the raees could teac'h each other a great deal. Coneluding, the Prime Minister repeated the invitation he had extended to secondary Scholars in the morning to avail themselves of his personal friendship. "If we met in London, you would come up to me and say you were from New Zealand, and you had seen me in Palmerston North. Then why wait till you get to London," said Mr. isavage. Introduce yourselves to me, and I will come half way to meet you. (Applause/. Opportunity was afi'orded Mr. George Dewe, a Now Zealander who has spent 24 years in Canada, to present to Mr. Savage a letter conveying through him to tho people of New Zealand the grcctings of Mr William Abcrhart, Pro- . mier of Albci'ta, on btthalf «£ &• jeojle ; of that State. ^ 1