THE PRIME MINISTER'S RETURN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 164, 29 July 1937, Page 4

THE PRIME MINISTER'S RETURN

As ftttingly became the occasion of the return of the Dominion's Prime Mmister from an important mission to the Mother Country, Mr. Savage was yesterday accorded a very hearty welcome home by the people of our capital city. Ihe proceedmgs, as heard over the wireless and as reported in the press, were indeed somethmg more than merely cordial bemg in some respects tuily enthusiastic. In every way therefore the Prime Minister must feel little but personal gratification at the reception which he has met from Wellington citizens. It was not, of course, expected that he himself would at this early stage have any detailed report to give of the results of his visit, so that there could be no disappomtment because his own address took what appeared to be an impromptu narrative form, or because there was not a very great deal m it of which we had not heard either by cable or through the English Press, though, oi course, it had the advantage of coming stiaignt trom tne mouth of the one best qualified to impart sucfi general mformation as he had to give at the moment. With respect to his impressions of the Coronation ceiebrations little need be said, but it has to be noted that he was not altogeter satisfied with the outcome of the Imperial Conference, though as yet he has not told us in what speciftc respects. In this, however, he shares a very general feeling that even in the Old Country itself fo,>jd pretty wide expres.sion. But, at the same time, he was able to state his conviction that "such conferences perform a useful, indeed a necessary function, and that their value cannot be entirely measured by immediate results," a statement he would perhaps have been not altogether so ready to make as leader of the Opposition. For Mr Savage himself, coming, as he points out, for the first time into close contact with the really big questions of Imperial policy, with all their many ramiftcat.ions and complixities, and with the big men who have to guide the Empre through them, the expenence cau scarcely but have been of inestimable educative value, both to himself and to the country. Possibly we shall see this reftected in broader views regarding the future and in some modification and relaxation of the altogether rigid lines and confident cocksureness, born of narrow environment, that have hitherto marked the policy and administration of his Government. It had been hoped that the Prime Minister would take the opportunity of giving some indication as to when Parliament would resume its sittings, but as to this he had nothing definite to say. Possibly, however, he was reserving the an nouncement till after the party caucus that is being held to-day. It is now close on nine months since the House went into recess and there must be a vast accumulation of more or less controversial matter to be discussed, so that the sooner it gets to work the better. Four months of the financial year have also passed and business men mdeed the whole tax-paying community, cannot but be extremely anxious to know the proposals to be embodied in the Budget, especially those with regard to the rslsing of revenue, as to which they must at the moment he ci a state of great perplexity. Mr Savage though doubtles? kept well informed of main developments during his absence, will, of course, have a good few threads of oftce to gather into his hands again. Einal consideration of matters of finance may have to await the return of Mr Nash from his long sojourn on the other side of the world. In this respect, however, they have had the incidental advantage of having been in close personal contact over there, with full opportunity to discuss matters in advance. The country is therefore well entitled to expect that not only will Parliament be calied together at an early date, but also that the Budget will be presented soon after its opening.