GOOD GOVERNMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 18 November 1930, Page 8

GOOD GOVERNMENT.

BUSINESS MEN NEEDED. DR. ARUNDALB'S LECTURE. "Wlios for New Zealand?" was the subject of an address given before members of the Canterbury Advertising Club during the luncheon hour yesterday by Dr. G. S. Arundale, who urged that the Government of the country should be in the hands of business mcu. The speaker said that great results had been achieved by the "Who's for Australia?" League and he thought that nothing but good could come if such au organisation were started in New Zealand. One of the objects of the League was fo teach people that Australia was a country worth supporting and working for. The League had uot yet been in existence for a year but already it had a membership of over 10,000 in New South Wales. It was composed of business men but there were many other leading citizens in its ranks. It endeavoured to stimulate patriotism .of the right type —not the jingoistic or assertive type, but that which was helpful. For instance, the Leaguo said to the public: "Australia is your country. Have vou ail Australian home? Have you Australian utensils in your home? Do you eat Australian food f •" I?y this means guud work was done in the direction of stimulating Australian industry although it was not suggested that there should be no imports at all. It was realised that there must be imports to balance the exports. The League appealed to business men to assist the movement by suggesting

to customers that tliey should buy Aus-tralian-made goods first and that if these were not available Empire-manufactured goods should then be purchased, the final resource being foreign-made goods. Exhibitions of Australian-made goods were also held at regular intervals with a view to furthering the project. Tho proprietors of drapery and other businesses were expected to display in their windows posters containing "Who's for Australia?" Members of the League also carried a badge. The public were asked if they were real Australians or if they were merely masquerading as such. The.v were asked to assist in getting Australia to stand on her own feet, thus to solvo the unemployment question. Unemployment was worse in that country than in New Zealand, but lie thought that it could be dealt with if sufficient Australian-made goods were purchased. There was need for business men to take over the affairs of government for sfter all governing a country was merely a big business. To Abolish Difficulties. Unfortunately new ideas were not welcomed in Australia. He believed that it was beyond the power of the average Government to go to the root of a national difficulty, but such a task was not beyond business people. Recently Sir William Morris, the British motorcar manufacturer, had called a gathering of business people to go into the question o' solving the unemployment question. Most members of Parliament were, in tho speaker's opinion, too much concerned with the question of keeping their Party in power to give consideration to anything else. He was satisfied that if there was a business men's Government in power many of the present difficulties would be abolished. The average man in Australia did not care for Party politics. The way in. which, the Governments .bad been

changed there within recent years proved this. . Business men with ideals could lead the country and the people would follow them but professional politicians were unable to give such a lead. Mussolini was conducting the affairs of Italy on business lines. He knew the needs of tlio country. There were some people who were dissatisfied with Mussolini's methods but those who had visited Italy before his rise to power and since could not but. be impressed with the business-like way in which it was governed. At the conclusion of his remarks Dr. Arundale was accorded a vote of thanks by the president of the club (Mr .T. J. Staples) on behalf of those present.