THE LEAGUE'S WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 210, 21 September 1937, Page 8

THE LEAGUE'S WORK

I'ipss Associii.vinn 11

"Hope of World Rests in Geneva" MR. ARMSTRONG'S VIEW

(By TelesT.-inh —

AUCKLAND, Last Night. ! An outline of his recent extensive jtour overseas and some of the impressions he had gained were given by the 'Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) when speaking at receptions in his honour to-day. At noon Mr. Armstrong was welcomed by the members and executive officers of the Auckland Harbour Board, while at 12.45 p.m. he, attended a Mayoral reception extended by Sir Ernest Davis. The Minister1 of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb) who has! held Mr. Armstrong's portfolios olj Labour and Employment in his absence,; was present at both functions. Mr. Armstrong said he could say many things not very encouraging, about the League of Nations and prior to visiting Geneva he certainly had thought both the League and the International Labour Organisation did not act quickly enough. When it was considered, however, that practically all nations wero represented, including the most backwara, and it was possible to get a convention through the International Labour Conference with the required two-thirds majority favouring a 40-hour week in the important textile industry it could be seen that the world was moving forward rapidly. In spite of all the League 5s mistakes he was more oonvinced than ever that the hope of the world rested at Geneva and all would be well when the variou's Governments elected the right men as their delegates. "Some of the captains of industry who have been 'squealing' about what the Labour Government has f orced upon them here should go to Germany and see what had been done," he said. 1 ' They have a long way to go yet compared with other countries. I can say we do not know anything about unemployment in New Zealand. Go into any country you like and you will find we have less unemployment her,e than anywhere else,' ' he said. "Furthermore no country has done half as much during the past years to combat the problem as we havp done in New Zealand. We don't want it here and we are going to clear it up. "