"TO LEARN."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 20 January 1939, Page 8

"TO LEARN."

PREMIER'S VISIT. CANADIAN DELEGATES HANDLING SOCIAL PROBLEMS. PACIFIC DEFENCE QUESTION. Premier of the largest, wealthiest and most thickly populated province of < anada, the Hon. M. !•". Hepburn, of Ontario, accompanied by the Hon. Colin A. Campbell. Minister of Public Works, has come to New Zealand and Australia to learn! *'•1 list call us a study group,'' lie said this morning, when interviewed on the Mariposa. He confirmed a previously cabled message that he was coming here to see how New Zealand and Australia were meeting problems that were confronting the provincial (iovcrnmcnts of ( anada. . "We want to examine the operations of the Commonwealth Bank t and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand — you see I am Treasurer of Ontario as j well as Premier—we want to study your social legislation. "We are told, and we believe, that your legislation is more advanced than ours and we're here to find out. What (Jovernments do is always controversial, and such is the make-up of the world that a long-range view is no good. You get so much biased information. That is wliv we have come t* find nut for ourselves. We are meeting some of your Ministers to-day und I have a lot of <picstions to ask them, if they will answer them." Era of Paternalism. Big. strongly built, in black lmmberg hat and easily fitting grey suit, Mr. Hepburn appeared more the breezy business man than the man of national and international affairs. He spoke quickly and to the point, with the manner of one accustomed to facing batteries of questions—and he was impressive without trying to impress. By politics he was Liberal, he said, and his own policy and problems had a good deat in common with those of the Governments in New Zealand and Australia. His was an industrial province.

'We are in the era of paternalism there t lie same as you are here," he said. "Y\ hether it's right or wrong. 1 don't know—lint the people seem to be demanding it." Mr. Hc|iliiirn emphasised that he mid Mr. Campbell were not representing the Federal (iovcrnuient <»f Canada, though they ha<l liotli been members of the Federal (Government. He had had eight and a lullf years in the Federal Government before, he resigned and was elected Premier of Ontario. He was now in Iw's second term as Premier. On this trip they represented only Ontario. On international affair*, however, Mr. Hepburn spoke from the Canadian 1 viewpoint. Defeat* Questions. This year Canada would spend more on defence than in the whole of the intervening period since the war, he said. Most of it would be spent in developing the air force and in building up coastal defences. ° "We're worrying about the Pacific Coast." he said, "for tl*e first time in our history. . . . Now, I'll tell you something. ..." He tapped the reporter on the chest with a paper he carried in his hand, to gi\e emphasis to an interesting statement, but. as he had added the word confidentially" to his comment, it remains with him. Alberta and the social credit measures adopted there were the theme of the next <|ue*tion put to Mr. Hepburn— hat were the other provinces goin* to do about Alberta? °

"Well, you know that some of their legislation has been invalidated by the Federal (Joverntneiit," he said. "But what about the position generally'/ We have had cables that Alberta is bankrupt," it was pointed out. ' "Bankrupt Provinces." "All the western provinces of Canada arc bankrupt," he said. "Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan are the big wheatjrrowing centres, and they are all hard hit. They depend upon wheat and the per capita consumption of wheat has fallen .Tt per cent since 102"). The price that can be got. is less than the cost of production. We are bolstering it up with a guaranteed price which is considerably above the price that can be | got for the wheat, and that has lowered the market, for they know that the Co\ eminent has to seil it again. Everything is falling on Ontario, which is the big industrial centre. Ontario is the keystone oil which Canada's economy "Is Alberta's failure due entirely to .the policy pursued there?" he was asked. "No. Not entirely," said Mr. Hepburn. "All the wheat growing provinces of the west are bankrupt." Mr. Hepburn was then informed that a ear was waiting to take hia party on an inspection of some dairying lands near the city, and he hurried away. During the morning the Canadian delegation visited a model farm near Waikumete. At midday they were entertained. with the Bight Hon. S. M. Bruce, High Commissioner for Australia, at a State luncheon, at which the Hon. Peter 1-ra-cr, Minister of Education, represented the Prime Minister, the Bight Hon. M. .1. Savage. They were leaving again by the Mariposa for Australia this u t'ternoon. With the two Ministers also were Mr. Chester Walters, Deputy-Treasurer of Ontario, and Mr. K. H." Elmhirst, private secretary to the Premier.