EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1937, Page 10

EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

CONFERENCE ISSUES

TRADE AND IMMIGRATION.

COMMENT BY MR. SAVAGE. (Bj Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Reference to his forthcoming visit to Great Britain Mas made bv the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, when acknowledging the rousing welcome accorded him at a civic reception tendered him to-dav.

'"The voke of New Zealand, if it is heard at all. must be heard in the direction of trying to put the world of to-day and of the future on a peace l:a>is." said Mr. Savage. "However, we must make the foundations safe before the superstructure is worth much, and for that reason it will be neccssiry first to settle the economic problems which at present confront the nations.

"[ will soon be taking part in an Imperial Conference which will probably be the mcst important ever to have been held," he added. "I am optimistic enough to believe that those who will assemble there will be able to rise liigli enough to devise suitable methods of utilising to the full the huge resources contained in the territories over which their flag flies."

Purpose of Conference. The purpose of the conference would be to develop trade as far as possible within the British commonwealth of nations. International trade was a secondary consideration, but it could be taken for granted that if all members of the Br'tish commonwealth were prosperous and wealthy communities, other nations of the world would be eager to trade with them.

'"There is ample room on th» earth's surface for the whole of humanity," Mr. Savage continued. "No particular section has any right to a monopoly. We in New Zealand have no strong claim to the territory we hold unless we secure the population necessary to develop it to the fullest extent. That in itself would be our surest method of defence, for it would no longer provide the same temptation to the covetousness of other peoples.

"Our responsibility as the Government of this country will be to see that newcomers have a place to lay their heads, and the right and opportunity to earn a living. The problem is one which affects other Dominions equally with ourselves, but I make bold to say that the Imperial Conference will face its responsibilities in this respect. Meeting Changing World. "The foundation of our political thought is that conditions generally are in a state of change, and the Government of to-day must apply itself to a changing world," said Mr. Savage in repaying to a welcome tendered him by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. "It would be too much to claim that the New Zealand Government is going ahead without any mistakes, bnt at least we are fearless enough to correct our mistakes when they 1 become apparent." Mr. Savage said he- welcomed the assurance of the president. Mr. V. E. Hamilton, that the Chamber of Commerce was a non-political body. As such that chamber could give very useful help to the Government by its criticism and by an exchange of views on current problems.

"We have been told about the precipice we-are approaching," said the Prime Minister. "We have a»j»licy in operation, and that policy "is going to :be continued, and, believe me, we will let the precipice as soon as anybody else. So far I do not see any precipice. ,

"A Very Heceeaary Action." 1 have been asked whether the guaranteed price lor dairy produce was just a step toward socialisation of the means of preduetfcmjf* Mr. Savage continued, j "It was was * verynecessary action to save from bantrupte of people who had in the last 10 year* doubled their production without -any increase in their income. The socialisation of the means of production will look after itself if we face current problems in an intelligent fashion. "Wo have already received a lot of abuse for lifting wages and shortening hours, butit must be remembered that the machine is now doing joba that men used to do, and if we are not going to be slaves of our machines wo must see that people have more baying power to consume the things that the machines produce, and more leisure, because mod* can be produced so much more quickly by the machine. If that means anything at all, it meant hig*r wages and shorter hours." Ifldrsss at Geneva. _ N In addition to attending the Imperial Conference when he goes to shortly, the Prime Minister wiß also have the unusual honour of addressing members of the International Labour Conference am the legislation and policy of his Govurnpsnl. r - ->M fe,:' In an interview to-day. Mr. Savage said that'Ar national labour Oflfce written to him, mentioning that the legislation of the Oonejuuueut of. Her attracted the interest of other cooiitrie** and mgpntif thaifcemight like to addreea the conference in June. Mr. Savage said that he had' accepted the offer, and would give the conference some idea of the legation of last session, proposed new ageneral outline of. the of the Government- ....

The Tint to the eoeferencewould sot clash ill -ftBT way with that of the Minister dT M«boiir, ; Oe' Bm, K Armstrong, who wn being ant to Geneva by the. Goyerampnt as its official Ministerial delegate.