CITY'S WELCOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 9

CITY'S WELCOME.

"A COMMON PURPOSE."

AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS.

<<WE ARE FORTUNATE PEOPLE"

Citizens of Auckland gathered in force at the City Council Chambers this afternoon to extend a welcome to the deputyPrime Minister of Australia, the Right .Hon. Sir Earle Page, and the Hon. T. D'Alton, Tasmanian Minister of TransPort. In the speeches of those two Ministers, and in those of the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, the Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langs tone, representing the Government of New Zealand, and of other speakers, the common note was the unity of interei»t«s between Australia and New Zealand.

New Zealand and Australia, said Sir Earle, were the most Empire-minded countries of the British Empire. The one hope of the. world, the one real chance of peace in the world, was a strong- and well-developed British Empire. Xew Zealand and Australia should advance side by side, for "there is no doubt that our destiny is absolutely one."

Speaking on behalf of the people of Auckland and New Zealand, the Mayor extended to the visiting Ministers a cordial welcome, and an invitation to them to return to this country for the 1940 Centennial celebrations. He extended a special welcome to Sir Earle, as deputy-Ministerial liead of Australia.

"The outcome of your consultations in the very heart of the Empire have, no doubt, been a further reinforcement of the links which unite your country, as ours, with the Motherland," he said. V-Tliii ties of kinship and adherence to a common purpose which have always bound Xew Zealand and Australia are ■becoming the more closely knitted by modern aerial transport, which bids fair to bridge the Tasman span by a dawn to dusk journey. As is only natural, Auckland is pardonably proud of its selection as the first New Zealand terminal for the trans-Tasman Empire biweekly mail service, and it looks forward with hope and confidence to the day of the inauguration of the equally regular aerial trans-oceanic passenger service."

In his welcome Mr. Langstone dwelt on the unity of interests between New Zealand and Australia. The two peoples had the same institutions, the same ideals and the same ethics; all were cast in the same mould. It was Imperative, in the present state of the world, with I war clouds looming, that together they should foster the democratic institutions. Duty of Democracies. "We are a very fortunate people," he said, "but these benefits bring with them a great responsibility." 1 It was the duty of these democratic countries and the Governments of them to so use their combined intelligence that what they achieved was. the envy of the world, to be emulated by the world. Never before in the world's history had the world been so richly endowed by science, invention and discovery. "We must add to that and leave it strengthened and not weakened," he said. He referred then to the fact that he was taking Sir Earle Page on a tour of the North Island, and that in Wellington there would be discussions on trade questions with the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, and the Minister of Finance and Customs, the Hon. W. Nash. He hoped that as a result of that consultation concord on trade questions would be achieved between the two countries. Mr. A. Ely, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, drew attention to matters of trade requiring adjustment, and extended a welcome on behalf of the business community. Mr. C. M. McCullough, chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Boaj;d. spoke on behalf of the local bodies of Auckland. He noted great changes in Auckland since he was last here 13 years ago, said Kir Earle, in reply, and he hoped that he would find the same progress and prosperity throughout the Dominion. It was a great pleasure for him to be here, he said, and he was confident that much good would come from an interchange of visits between representatives of the Governments of the two countries. He referred to the air service as removing the feeling of isolation that had previously existed with regard to these two units of the Empire, and hoped that it would not be long before new British steamers on the trans-Pacific run would benefit Australia and New Zealand by bringing an increase in tourist traffic, and in migrants.

"One of the best things you can sell is scenery," he said. "You can sell it and yet you still have it to sell again, and the more times you sell it the greater demand there is for it." New Zealand and Australia had an identity of interests, said Sir Earle. They were regarded equally in England and" they had common bonds in the Pacific. In trade agreements England regarded the Dominions not so much on a basis of trade, but as units of the Empire to be helped in development for the defence of the Empire.

Mr. iyAlton, Tasmanian Minister of Transport, also expressed his appreciation of the welcome accorded him, and said that personally he would be glad to aceept the invitation offered to visit New Zealand for the Centennial in 1940.