HON. G. FORBES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1931, Page 3

HON. G. FORBES

SPEECH AT LUNCHEON

ON ECONOMIC POSITION

(Australian Press Association.)

SYDNEY, January IJ. Hon. G. W. Forbes was entertained at a luncheon' organised by the Millions Club of Sydney and the New

Zealand Association. Sir Arthur Richard (President of the. Millions Club) presided. : Others present included Archbishop AVright, of Sydney; Sir

James O’Grady, the retiring Governor of Tasmania ; Sir Thomas Sidcy; Alderman Jackson (Lord Mayor of Sydney) ; Sir Henry Bradd.on, Sir Thomas Henley, ail'd also leading representatives of official, professional and commercial circles. There also was an enthusiastic gathering of New Zealanders resident in S'vdncv.

Sir A. Richard, in proposing the toast of the giiest of honour, eulogised New Zealand’s patriotism and loyalty to Empire ideals, which, lie said, made it one of the most im porta n'ts parts of the Empire, and also camel! for- it a favourable position in the world’s financial market. He mentioned: that Sydney had not heard a New Zealand Prime Minister speak for many years, hut those ones who had visited lie re wore such outstanding figures as Sir George Grey, Mr R J. Seddon-, . and later Sir Joseph AVard. .

Air Lowndes, President of the New Zealand Association',' also spoke, and emphasised that Now Zealand had at all times made help, to the British Em-.

"ire her first thought. New Zealanders lie said, had often expressed, thankfulness that they had not joined the Oom'"onwealtli. but it was possible that if she had joined, the common sense of lie,- adminstratnrs might have assisted to keep Austral in out of tlic difficulty's sl’e now found herself in. Mr Forbes received an ovation on rising to respond. He said that he was glad to lie- able to pass this way, and to learn something of Australia’s problems first-hand, since New Zealand was intimately concerned with 'the Coinmohwealth’s welfare, and sympathised with her in her difficulties. Relationships,' had been 'strengthened by tics bf brotherhood that were formed’ betu’ech jAiistralians and New Zealanders'in' the trying' war time..

Mr Forbes .mentioned various attractions that New Zealand offered- to tourists, and lie commented on the need of a ’greater reciprocity in this re,S|.i ct, ; since, while eleven thousand New Zealanders had visited Australia lyst:;,year, only eight thousand Australians went to tiie Dominion.

Referring to the Imperial Conference Mr Forlics said that New Zealand’s sole desire was to help Britain. All of the Empire delegations, he said, had worked hard to secure something in the way of a reform that would benefit imperial trade, hut the Home delegates . could not be turned from their attitude on this subject. He hoped, however-,' that sonic-'■seed had been shown ffybm • which Umpire trade, would later .reap mi advantage. ~ .. Mr Forbes • continued :—“A sound basis of trade was to buy where you sell, and New Zealand expected the neoph' of Britain to buy our goods. Therefore, since the principal moans that they If ail of pitying was in .good-s----it vrtVs prdifdr'thiit New Zealand should purchase her requirements fr-m the Old Country.- The results following this plan left little to complain about. There was still plenty of problems to engage attention, and the settlement of these naturally would not he always commendable to everybody. The Governments could not expect bouquets for all thev did. They must do what they considered to l-e right, and risk the brickbats of criticism. Mr Forbes expressed his gratitude to the people of Zealand for the why they.'-through fheir Parliamentary repre entatives. had helped last sess:on to pass legislation to deal with the. serious position. They had subordinated their own domestic concerns to the necessities of the Empire, and were determined that the Prime Minister should attend the Imperial Conference. They adopted the nttum'e that the country’s- reputation for loyalty and soundness must not suffer on, n'nv account in England.. Mr Forbes said that, when he - was speaking at * provincial centre, he was given a. copy of an 'ltd dross delivered hv Viscount Lyttelton in 1839, on the ideal of those concerned in the colonising of. Canterbury, which was to c ?o New Zealnd established as the Britain of the South. Those ideals prevailed to-day as strongly as ever in New Zealand. which was often described to-dav by visitors as more British in characteristics than any other part of the Empire. " •

The delegates to the Imperial ConI'eU’eUcc had . been treated with w onderful. hospitality at Homeland the people showed much sympathy with Australia’s difficulties, which- were regarded as temporary, and? as being open to solution if the right- methods ' were taken. A: a New Zealander, iie subscribed to this view, and lm'assured hishearers that the Dominion neople wished for an early return of the sound and lasting prosperity of Australia. Australia must hare the fullest confidence in herself to achieve this end. Slir. Thomas Sidey also spoke briefly. He drew attention to the fact that New Zealand were dealing chiefly with Svdney through "Wellington and Auckland, but- his own citv of Dunedin was really nearer to Melbourne, and improved steamship connection between those ports would bring ad-vantage-otfs. trade results"