NOT WRECKERS, BUT BUILDERS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 93, 14 January 1936, Page 10

NOT WRECKERS, BUT BUILDERS

Ovation For Ministers

MESSRS. SEMPLE AND WEBB

Westport's Warm Welcome By Telegraph—Press Association. Westport, January 13 The Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Mines, and the Hou. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works aud Transport were accorded a fine reception by. tlie public of Westport. ' to-night. Tlie Mayor and Mayoress, Mr. and Mrs. J. Kilkenny, and officials of the Westport branch of the Labour Party, went through to Reefton, and members of local bodies and other representative citizens met the Ministers at the Inaugaliua Junction. At crossroads about four miles from the town a stream of some 40 cars, motor-buses and other vehicles were drawn up to give the Ministers a rousing reception, and escorted them back to Westport, where the Municipal Baud led the procession to tlie Town Hall with citizens lining the footpaths. The Mayor, Mr. Kilkenny, in the course of a eulogistic address, said the visit of the Ministers was a gesture of friendship. The Government was going to do its own job and Westport would get its share of what was going. The Mayor also extended a civic welcome to Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P. for Palmerston North. His welcome was endorsed by Mr. J. 11. Powell, county chairman, amt the Hon. W. H, Mclntyre, chairman of the Buller County Council, who 'promised all the help possible from the council staff, and who said Mr. Savage had a splendid team who were all out to do their best for the country.

Mr. Hodgens, replying, recalled; the long years of the struggle by the Labour Party, the good services rendered to it by Messrs. Webb and Semple, and said the Government was expected to do big things for the betterment of humanity, and would do them. Inspiration to Government. Mr. Webb, replying, returned thanks for tlie wonderful welcome. It was an inspiration to- the new Government to find the people so heartily co-operat-ing with them. The days of talk were over; the hour of work had arrived. The day of a bankrupt community was going and business men would realise that an extra £1 in the hands of the worker was also to their advantage. He regretted that the late Mr. H. E. Holland was not present as member for Buller and Prime Minister. The job ahead was not an easy one, but with the co-operation and goodwill of the pe.ople he believed the Labour Government would greatly improve conditions in Now Zealand. What mattered was, not how long one lived, but what one accomplished while one was alive.

. Mr. Webb concluded by paying a warm tribute to bis Ministerial colleague, Mr. Semple, who was iu every way worthy of their great reception. Mr. Semple, who, like Mr. Webb, was given an ovation, said no Government could face with 100 per cent, of confidence its stupendous task without the goodwill, co-operation and assistance of the people. He believed that the Labour. Government was assured of these It would let no board or commission stand in I lie way of its accomplishing its job. It, would steer its own political course. Net king Wrong with New Zealand. The Minister paid a warm tribute to his officers, who were all highly capable for their respective tasks. The Government was out to give the people a degree of comfort hitherto denied them, and not as a privilege, but as a right. There was nothing wrong with New Zealand in the matter of soil, sunshine. mineral wealth aud mechanism, but the wealth in life created was not getting back to the people, and it was the job of the new Government to see this done. They had 20,000 boys leaving school every year and finding no niche in employment. For them and 50,000 others on relief work the Government would see that, justice was done and that they were given their opportunity in life. The basis was service. He had no time for the “scrounger” and the exploiter who did not want to work. People who said the Labour Party would be wreckers would live to regret it. They were builders, thinkers, creators, repairers, and would do their job and do it well.