THE N.Z. LEGION

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1933, Page 8

THE N.Z. LEGION

PRESIDENT IN AUCKLAND PROGRESS OF MOVEMENT AUCKLAND, August 26.' : ' The president of the *Ne w Zealand Legion, Dr Campbell Begg, of Wellingi.ton, arrived in Auckland yesterday on ' his first official visit. He will address -a public meeting in.the Town Hall tomorrow evening, and ‘next week fie will ,speak at Wanganui, Dargaville, Tauranga, Moriinsville and Cambridge. Dr. Begg said The New Zealand Legion, had- now been in existence for some six months and the progress madewas .eminently, satisfactory. The membership was all that could.be -expected and it was,, particularly 'gratifying to find that so many of those who had made a special study of economic and political science were interesting themselves to formulate proposals. The idea of the legion was that is was essential to establish sound principles of the philosophy of government as the basis of any economic reconstruction.

It was not wodely enough known how closely economic, social and political progress were linked. Considerable progress was made a.t the last council meeting of the league, and the 703 centres established throughout New Zealand were now studying details within the main skeleton principles which had then been laid down. Unfortunately, there was a* large body of people in New Zealand who were anxious to have- th-eir economic and political thought provided for them without the fatigue of having to think for themselves, and they were ready to accept any partial solution that would seem to offer a way out of the depression. To these people the legion would make little appeal unless rt could induce them to see- that democracy could function only by educating the individual to. active thought and high motive along social lines. Dr Begg said the progress of the movement was such that he now felt he could leave ■ the organisation ‘ to stand on its own feet.