REMOVAL OF POVERTY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28866, 10 April 1959, Page 7

REMOVAL OF POVERTY

S.E.A.T.O.’s Task In Asia fNew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 9. All eight S.E.A.T.O. member nations were agreed that the removal of hunger, disease and poverty froth South-east Asian countries was one of the best ways to obtain security, said the Thai Foreign Minister (Mr 'Thanat Khoman) in reply to the [ toast to *‘the South-east Asia i Treaty Organisation,” proposed j by the Prime Minister (Mr Nash > jat the State luncheon today in honour of the S.E.A.T.O. delegates.

There were 276 guests at the luncheon. The delegates later resumed their closed session. Mr Nash said S.E.A.T.O. was a military alliance only for defensive purposes. It had other means and objectives—to find a way to remove the greater menace of hunger and poverty from the peoples in the treatyarea.

The purpose of S.E.A.T.O. was not merely military. The best defence of a country from aggression was to ensure that the people of it had enough food and i somewhere to sleep. The threats Ito the S.E.A.T.O. area today were of political, economic and social origin, said Mr Nash. He bei lieved that all three problems [could be solved. N.Z.’s Part

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holyoake) supporting the Prime Minister, said the conference gave New Zealanders the opportunity of seeing just how much the Dominion was an integral part of S.E.A.T.O. “Eternal vigilance should be our motto,” he said.

“If the price of freedom is indeed eternal vigilance, the vigilance which has marked Sji.A.T.O.'s watchfulness against Communist subversion and infiltration is a price well paid.”

Mr Holyoake said he saw two striking features in S.E.A.T.O.— a military force and a striking example of co-operation between countries of East and West. The Associate Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Tirikatene) said S.EA.T.O. presented a unity of nations, each maintaining its own traditions and culture, language and independence. The holding of the S.E.A.T.O. conference in New Zealand would add significantly to the prestige of the Dominion. Unemployment

In reply to the toast Mr Thanat said that no unemployment problem existed in New Zealand, but that problem was apparent in his and other S.E.A.T.O. countries.

Thailand attached great importance to 5.E.A.T.0., which was looked at as a living symbol of international co-operation, and a living and active symbol of peace and progress. ‘‘We feel that S.E.A.T.O. can still perform a more important function if it can take a more offensive attitude against poverty, disease and hunger.” he said. “If it can succeed it will indeed perform a high and great function. All S.E.A.T.O. members would like to see S.E.A.T.O. progress along that road.” The United States Undersecretary for Economic Affairs (Mr C. Douglas Dillon), supporting Mr Thanat, said the United States believed deeply in the principle of collective security, which alone could ensure the peace of a shrinking world today. Any threat in the Western Pacific area posed a real threat to the Pacific shores of the United States, but in a short time the United States would welcome the fiftieth State of the UnionHawaii—and at that moment the United States would move 2500 more miles into the S.E.A.T.O. treaty area. 5.E.A.T.0.. was a collective effort in every way “for all of us to counter the all-pervading threat to the world today,’ he said. New Zealand had made a valuable contribution to the collective security effort and the services of Brigadier L. W. Thornton, Chief of the Military Planning Office of the organisation were valued. . Valued also was the “wisdom, experience, understanding and friendly firmness” of the Prime Minister (Mr Nash) as chairman of the Ministers’ conference. Unless there was hope for social progress the very way of life was threatened, continued Mr Dillon. “I hope, desire and expect we will move ahead relying on the protective shield of S.E.A.T.O. for the growth of progress in all our countries.”