ADVICE WELCOMED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 126, 10 March 1937, Page 5

ADVICE WELCOMED.

HELP FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THE PREMIER’S APPRECIATION. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND', March 9/ The willingness of the Government at all times to “listen to the other fellow’s point of view” was emphasised by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage), in responding to a welcome extended to him at a luncheon given by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. There was a large attendance, which included the Minister for Health (the Hon. P. Fraser), the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), and the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin). “Chambers of Commerce, by offering their advice, can continue to help the Government, the business community which they represent, and the people of this country,” said Mr Savage. “It would not he right for me or for the Government to take the power to say the last word on anything. There is always the possibility that the other fellow may be right, and I hope the time will never come when I will push advice aside as if it did not count. I personally cannot imagine a state of society in which all men would think alike, hut if we have to disagree about details let ns agree to differ. We all have the same basic interest, the welfare of New Zealand as a whole. I myself have to speak to people of all shades of political opinion, and,' I am hound to say that in the majority of cases they make some impression on my mind.”

Advice which came from a Chamber of Commerce, the Prime Minister continued, was generally 1 advice from people experienced in some particular phase of commercial practice. Naturally, it was impossible for the Government to include in its own aanks experts in everything, but its duty was to sift evidence tendered to it by men who understood particular problems in an endeavour to arrive at a solution suitablo to all. Any Government worthy of the name was bound to take notice of advice when it was backed up with knowledge. “We need all the guidance we can got,” Mr Savage added. “We cannot write all advice tendered to us into, the law of the land, but I can assure you that the representations which you have made to us have been employed in the shaping of • our legislative proposals. This kind of co-operation is of the utmost value, and I hope it will still be forthcoming in future.”