PLAIN SPEAKING

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

PLAIN SPEAKING

— Press ABHoaiation.;

"Bunkum From End to End" MR SAVAGE: F0REIGN POLICY

(By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, This Day. In the course of his reply to the civic welcome extended to him in the i'owa Hall last night, the Prime Minister, Et. Hon. M. J. Savage, reierring to the Imperial Conference, said: — "I remember seeing a report dealing with the economie aspect of foreigu policy. I was asked for my opinioxx, and I said, 'Well, to put it plainly, this thing ds bunkum from end to end. ' fhose wlio were reportiug the conference wanted to know what I meant by •bunkum.' (Lauglxter). I thought auy member of Parliament would be able to tell them that. I didix't see any more of that report. Nevertheless, the conrerence was worth while, as it provided an opportunity of bringing the proDlems of the Dominions and other countri.es b.efore the delegates. v "It is not sufficient to go over there for a holxday and say you did a lot of chings that never happened," said Mr davage amid laughter. " It 's a better ihing to go over there and just speak as plainly as you can and, above all things, to be understood. And I think vve understood each other before the end of the conference. I don't regret uaving gone to the Imperial Conference and the Coronation, I think it put New Zealand on the map; not because 1 happened to be the delegate or Mr Nash, but simply because I think it was the most dmportant Imperial Conference tfiat has ever been held, in view of the peculiar situation that exists in the world to-day. You can't look at foreign policy to-day without realising what a mess the world is in. When one comes to get down to the reports bearing upon the various aspects of jthe foreign policy of Great Britain, it opens one's eyes to 3ee the contradictions that are evolved in the arrangements entered into in days gone by."