PREMIER'S MESSAGE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3376, 3 January 1920, Page 6

PREMIER'S MESSAGE

t ' To THE PEOPLE. A > ' l ’ AUCKLAND, Dec. 31.: x l_. * ‘ The Prime Minister sends the fol—lowing NeyvcYear message to‘ the P6O- - ple of the Dominion:- . ' The -old,ye;a.r,»with all its trials and troubles, is gone. The New'Year is‘ With‘-.uS- VVha.t it will bring to’ New" Zealand no men can accurately predict. It is‘ quite certain, however, that We sh'a§ll still have difliculties as iniprevious years, and as they have been ;.surmounted, so’ it will be again. The detelsmi_n-ation and-tenacity which saw the British citizens right through the long years’ of war will see us through any trouble which we may be called upon‘ to face’ during the nexti twelve months. ‘ The recent elections have cleared the” political atnlosphel'e and given the people of New Zealand renewed confid.<3nc;__. ix}, §l;eg_n§el}(e§ -and in each other.

".:"LFL"=7_"l-"tll;Cg‘C§tllGl'. fx-om p'ar{ty'po_litics, the great nmjority have declared loyal= ly and enthusiastically for King and ,Empir'e, andl'for a policy of progress "and-development within the Dominion. Such being the case, our duty is cl_ear -—\\'lle_‘thel',‘-‘as men eilfrusted with the inaraaglenient of public aifairs or as privlaie éitizens all classes must work wholeheartedly together for common good, femembe-ring that ass a house divided afgainst itself cannot stand, so a country divided against, itself cannot prospér. I know perfectlywell that it is impossible to avoid differences of opinion in minor matters, but there should be only one opinionwith regard to essentials. There should be no two opinions about the_neeessity for making and keeping the "country prosperous so that we may be able to meet our very heavy financial obligations without hardship or inconvenience, or about the principles of doing our duty to the'Empire in times of peace as well as We‘did in War. If we are success-l ful‘ in‘ these respects, there should bel little difficulty in regard to other matters, however important and however necessary some of them may be_ In‘-one of his poems Kipling has very precisely sum'marised whalt should be ‘the policy of a young country suchnas ours in theprocess of development, where he says:——— 5. “Keep ye the peace, A . Be swift in all obedience, ‘ Clear the land of evil, Drive the road and bridge the ford. ‘Make ye sure to. each his own That he reap where. he has sown,

By the peace among your peoples i Let -men know ye love the Lord.” . I On this occasion the people of New‘ Zealand are enjoying the festive ‘sea-4 son with greater zest than for severall years past, and with good reason. The g black clouds of war ‘which for .lon-g hung over British countries -have disappeared, and the sun of peace: and prosperity is again shining upon the world” which -has commenced to re covenfrom, though not to forget, the sacrifices and sorrows of the last five years. . In this country particularly we have much to be thankful for, and the blessings of peace are probably appreciated more than ever before, but there is still much "Work to- be done in the_ way of meeting -our - responsibilities arising from the War, which, to be- suc~ cessful, necessitates the exercise of energy_.a.nd co—oper-ation .by the Whole _of the ,people of New Zealand. A country Worth fighting for is worth working for, ‘and its interests must come before‘ the personal interest or any-~ ~thing else. Country should be first every _'time. Let "us avoid quibbling and bickering over comparative trifles and m".-Ike“the best possible use of our oppo.rtiin‘itieg and talents with which nature‘ has endowed us. ' My message, therefore, to my fellow cit:izen_s of the Dominion on this first day of what I hope will be a bright New Year for all, is to forget. minor difierences,‘ make good use of the many advantages we possess, and take as guiding principles, I'-oyalty, industry, «and progress-—-principles which, if properly actcd up to, will, within a comparatively short period, place L this country in a. sounder and more satisfactory position than it has ever yet occupied.—W. F. MASSEY.