CO-OPERATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 288, 5 December 1935, Page 8

CO-OPERATION.

WILL NOT RUSH. MR. SAVAGE'S POLICY. NOT OPPOSED TO TITLES. "IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO." (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Prime Minister-elect, Mr. M. J, Savage, spared a few minutes before his departure for Government House to have a 'personal chat with the Parliamentary representative of the "Auckland Star," and to discuss some of the things the Labour Government will tackle.

Mr. Savage made- it clear that the Government is going to be right 011 the job immediately it takes over, and while he is anxious to meet the people of New Zealand as early as possible he will not be able to make a tour until next year, when he hopes to visit Cliristchurch and other centres. He will, however, spend Christmas in Auckland.

Until the first meeting of Cabinet on Saturday Mr. Savage is not disposed to reveal the lines of the Government's policy in definite terms and he reiterated to-day that while the Government is going to "do things" it is not going to rush its fences, but proceed along lines of co-operation with all who are willing to co-operate.

An indication that Mr. Savage is not desirous of interfering with tradition was given in his reply to a question regarding the attitude of the new Government to titles. He said he did not see anything wrong with them, although he personally war not enthusiastic about that sort of thing and nobody need think that he had hopes of becoming "Earl of Takapuna."

"We are not going to waste time breaking down old usage," said the Prime Minister. "There are too many lorn important things to do."

Sympathy With Samoans,

Questioned regarding Samoa, Mr. Savage said that the question of the appointment of a new administrator had not been considered. A man would be appointed who had sympathy with and appreciation of native usages and customs. "The Samoans have been handled wrongly from the beginning," he said. Military dictatorship must be avoided, and a man of sympathy and understanding must be appointed. His job will be to make friends of the Samoans. When we fail to make friends of them there is something wrong with us, not with the Samoans. Everyone admits that they are a very line race.

Mr. Savage was also questioned regarding the Public Service Commissionership which is now vacant. He said the question had not been considered, but he was opposed to one-man control, and at the same time did not think it wise that the responsibility of making appointments to the Public Service should be in the hands of Ministers. His idea was liiat the best system was to have three men in charge of this work. Post Of High Commissioner. The omission of Mr. W. J. Jordan, one of the senior members of the party, from the Ministry has given rise to much speculation that he is going to be the next High Commissioner in London, and the new Prime Minister, when questioned on this point, replied that it was true that Mr. Jordan was going to be given an important position later on, but a c Sir James Parr was High Commissioner until nearly the end of next year, the question of a successor to him did not arise immediately.

The whole of the Ministerial secretarial corps will be taken over by new Ministers and it may possibly be necessary to make one or two new appointments. Mr. Savage said to-day that

the Ministerial private excellent men, and had always treated him with courtesy and there was no reason why they should be displaced.

The Prime Minister intends to have an early interview with Mr. J. Christie. Law Draftsman, in order to be assured that" the Law Drafting Department is able to prepare legislation without delays. "It is not economy," he said, "to have the House sitting weeks and weeks waiting for bills to come from the Law Draftsman."