NEED OF UNITY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 140, 30 June 1937, Page 5

NEED OF UNITY

— Presa Asaociation.)

Australia and N.Z. Must Co-operate VICTORIANS WELCOMED

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. Cordial expressions of goodwill and hopes of closer co-operation between New Zealand and Australia, were exchanged when the Premier of Victoria, the Hon, A, A. Dunstan, and his Minister for Water Supply, Hon. F. E. O'ld, were entertained at luncheon by the N©W Zealand Government at the Qrand Hotel. In the absence of the actingPrime Minister, the Hon P. Fraser, who had been obliged to keep a prior engagement at "Whangarei, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, presided. In addition to, the visiting Ministers and the. officials accompanying them, the guests wero principally Auckland members of both Houses of Parliament. In welcoming the Ministers on behalf of the Government, Mx Parry said that as an Australian he knew New Zealanders were alwaya made to feel at home when in Australia. He hoped that Mr Dunstan and Mr Old felt equally at home in New Zealand. "We, in this country, have a strong desire for closer union and at common understanding with Australia," h© con tinued. "There is a more imperativft need for this to-day than ever in the history of the two. Dominions. and the possibility of our being severed from bhe. Mother Country in the event of international hoatilities, makes it even greater. In speaking of unity, I do not mean that we should merely render lip-service to principle." He was especially anxious. that something should be done towards. reciprocity between the two coqntries in regard to pensions. This, he well knew, was a Federal matter in Australia, but the goodwill of the State Governments could do much. to bring about. an arrangement. The ideal should be to have. the whole. matter dealt with on the Imperial scale and co-operation between Australia and New Zealand would be a good beginning. Mr Parry ended by expressing regret that the Prime Minister, Hon. M. J. Savage, was not in New Zealand. Mr Savage, ho said, would have taken speeial pleasure in welcoming t.he representatives of the Government of Victoria, which was the land of his birth. "The difficulties of both our Governments are the same and I feel strongly that there should be a better and a more " complete understanding between New Zealand and every State in Australia," said Mr Dunstan in reply. "Our futures are interwoven and the times, demand co-operation and reciprocity. We should be big enough to get together and settle our differences." ' After mentioning Victoria' s present prosperity, Mr Dunstan said that while everyone hoped . another dcpression would not occur, it was ess.eniial that the lessons of the last one should be well learned. ~ It was all too easy to forget what had passed, Mr Old remarked that he had been much struck by the fertility of the land in New Zealand, and by the well-kejpt farm-houses and towns. ' '