Prime Minister's Loyalty

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 7, 1 October 1937, Page 3

Prime Minister's Loyalty

-Freu Agsociation.)

RETORT TO CRITIC Empire Conference Debated ifc Honse THE DEFENCE ASPECT j *

\ (By Teleer»ph4

WELLINGTON. Last Night, The debate on tli« Imperial ConferflD.ce Teport was resuaed by Mr. W« J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) who •tressed the importante of the developBaent of civil aviation and urged accel•ration of the npgotittions providing for the trans-Tasman air service. He al*o Teferred to Ihe Pjn-Ameriean proposed Pacific service, Stating that anything which would. bring this Dominion lnto closer touch with. the United Btatea was eminently desirfible. Mr. Broadfoot contended that the timo for the resttirption of migration Hd arrived, and he suggested the prime Minister shculd inquire into tho fcuestion of child migration with a view to its adoption in the Dominion. Be contended that passenger fares between Australia and New Zealand were *00 high and .siid the . Government ' jnight intcrt-ew the ihipping companies jrith a view to tlpir reduction, Defence of Dominion. ' The Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, said that , aince the Labour Government had taken oifice a great deal of attention had been paid t0 their defence forces. In connection with aaval defence, th? policy of the pre* *iou» Government had been continued and the work authfrised by that Goy•rnment had been coinpleted. . As far personnel was concerned the Gov- - •rnment was endeavouring to inqrease Ihe number of N«w Zealanders in the •ervice, a 'fact wiich was greatly appreciated by Bntain. We had two of ihe latest cruisers, the Achilles and the Leander. Impro'.' emen'ts had been made to the naval base at AucMana and generally a considerable amount had been done in the dixection of naval iefence.

Speaking of the development of tho Jur Porce, the Mitister .dealt with the ivisit to the Dominion of Group'Captain Cochrane and thei work he was doing in the direction oi training large numbers of pilots in the Dominion; also of Ihe interchange of pilots with Great Britain and the training of New Zealand pilots at home. The training of •ur Air Porce waf on similar lines to that of the Royal Air Porce, as was training throughoufc the Empire. Additional new, np-to-date 'planes were being secnred from the Old Country and altogether the Government was doing its best to provide additional air defence for New Zealand. He stressed Ihe fact that Australia was only seven koura' flying timo distant from the Dominion and the Commonwealth and New Zealand conld give assistance to flach other in an $mergency. Military Preparations.

Goncerning the military forces of New Zealand, Mr. Jones detailed the teorganisation and mechanisation Which had been effected and mentioned the Government 'a policy of sending officara to Great Britain and Australia for traning. He st&ted that the Dominion had purchased a large quantity of kmmnnition from Australia. Some people would ask why we had not. bought it from Britain, but the Mother Country required *11 her output and apprecmted our purchasing supplies in the Commonwealth of Australia. Mr- Jones intimated that the Government would shortly be bringing down legislation for the setting up of Air Porce and Army Boards, which would work for- the defence of the Dominion ■with Cabinet and the Naval Board. When this legislaupn was being discusasd, he would be .pleased to give ahy information desirefi. He would assure membera that the Government was play- • ing its part, not onlV for the defence of the Dominion, but also for the defence Of the Empire asjku. whole, and the presohfc government had dorie more to •ssist thSSb services attaining efficiency than had the past governments. Empire Best Iieague.

Mr Endean (Opposition — Parnell; iaid that certainiy the ideal bf-.fhe League of Nations was a great jne, but he asked how could unanimity bp reached with so many great nations outside it. The best League of Nations was the British Empire and tho best means of ensnring peace lay in a strong British Empire. Referring to shipping,J£ie said the Pacific Ocean in its southern and eastern areas should be entirely -served by British shipping, and he advocated that some system should be instituted to train young New Zealanders fqr the ■ea. \ Mr E. J. Howard (Govt.-cWist-thureh South) dealt with the migration problem, stating that if we wenf dogn fin bended.knees and asked for nijgrams ■ from the Old Country wa could not get them. People were being better looked after atfHome to-day than cver before in his mernory, and they did not want ,to leave Britain. Co-operation Wanted. '

Mr Bodkin (Oppbsition — Otago Cen■tral) stated there could be no international prosperity until the nations again began to trade freely with each other. The co-operation displayed at the Imperial Conference between the delegates ptrsoniueu the spirit of Britain, and it should also persoiiify the spirit which animated the British Empire. Mr C. H. Chapman (Government — Wellington North) said the Prime 'Minister had brought a hew idea to the Imperial Conference, namely, ihe reeognition of the importance of the in•reated ritandard of living as a step to|ydji XHO&*. ^yosntedjhe apread-

Ing of JdMor Jtefl Cross societies, because they taught tolerance and moder* ation. Mr W. E. Anderton (Government— Eden) said the Imperial Conference had done something towards the stabilisation of the League of Nations. If we could have more of these eonferences, and if they were given a 'greater mandate, they would do more in the intercsts of the world than at present. Mr R. McKeeu (Government— Wellington South) considered collective security would never be reached through discussions in the different Parliaments of the world, but must be arrived at in conference between the different nations. He considered New Zealand was doing its part in assistinf to build up collective security. Question of Loyalty. Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, replying t|o the debate, said there seemed to be one fly in the ointment, that was the statement of the member for Awarua (Col. Jf Hargest) referring to the lack of New Zealand 's re-affirmation of loyalty to the Crown in the report. He wondered was the honourable member referring to his (Mr Savage 's) personal loyalty. The Prime Minister produced a book of clippings from prominent British papers bearing heading3 such as "Loyal New Zealand," ete., over interviews with him before he had left the boat. "In faet, during the earlier stages of my visit to England it appeared as if I had talked about nothing but our loyalty to England." He had to return to New. Zealand to have his loyalty questioned. Mr W. J. Polson (Opposition— Stratford): I don't think the member for Awarua meant that. Mr Savage continued that he had first taken the oath of allegiance as a city councillpr 20 years ago and had given it at every Parliament since. The last time he had given it was to hi3 Majesty himself at Buckingham Palace; yet the member for Awarua doubted his loyalty.

Not Mr Savage's Show. Mr Savage: I can understand the plain words and their meaning. However, said Mr Savage, he would let the matter fest s.t that. He did not Want to be drawn irito an argument about China, Spain or Abyssinia, but he asked how we -were to assure peace until we had a round-table conference ' to talk about it. The accusation had been made that the principles of the New Zealand delegates to the Imperial Conference embarrassed the British Government. The members of the British Cabinet had not shown any embarrassment. ■ - Mr W. J.. Broadfoot: They are very courteous. Mr Savage: They ara very sensible. Mr Broadfpot: Why did you not show yourself in the Coro'riation processionf We could not see you.

Mr Savage: It was the King's procession, It wasn't mine. I was not out to do a little electioneering like some people. In conelusion, the Prime Minister stated tha't some people aecused him of being an idealist and a dreamer, but he would rather be an idealist who did something. than a statesman who stood by all the time waiting for thinga to Uappen. The House rose at 5.10 p.m. s