LAST SEND-OFF

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 7

LAST SEND-OFF

PRIME MINISTER'S TRIP

GATHERING AT AUCKLAND

$HE AORANGI LEAVES

(By Telegraph:) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND,: This Day,

The Prime Minister, the Hon. G-. W. Forbes, left for the Imperial Conference by the Aorangi yesterday. He •sva> accompanied by Mrs. Forbes, Sir {Thomas and Lady Sidey, Miv F. .. D. JThomaon, permanent head of the Prime Minister's Department, and Mr. 0. A. jje'ffery,: private secretary. There was a largo crowd on the wharf when the vessel left, Mr. Forbes receiving an enthusiastic farewell from many friends.

Prior to sailing time an official gathering was held at tlie Town Hall to bMUlie Prime Minister good-bye. The peputy Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, prepided, and among the speakers was the H<i>n. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of pealth. '

...lii'the course of Ms reply, Mr. Forbes said he appreciated very much •the friendly greeting of Auckland prior to stepping onboard. He was New Zealand-born, and felt that in going to' the Conference he was taking a bit of ■ New Zealand with" him. New Zealapders were not people who made a great noise, but their -sentiment for their country was very; deep. They lad a keen pride in' their land and also in. the Old Country. He remembered as, a lad the days of the sailing ships and being struck when' lie saw them pome into port at Lyttelton at the end 'ofVa long passage, sometimes extending to three months, at the fact that they had come from that place one's parents called "Home." It fired his imagination. He had never had an opportunity of paying a visit to that land during his career of over twenty years Jri the House. He never seemed to be able to spare time enough to make the journey. "ALL OF ONE MIND." •Mr. Forbes said he wished to express Jhis gratitude at the way all parties had regarded the matter of the Domiujon's representation at the Conference. All parties had treated him very well jindeed. He had some very difficult measures to put through the House, (Some of them unpalatable, and they made him wonder whether, when they Were through, he would have any friends left at all. (Laughter and applause.); However, he was sure the people of s New, Zealand recognised that the measures that had been taken were inevitable, and' that unless the people were prepared to. face the facts the difficulties would only, become greater. Although 'he had to perform the duty of seeing those measures through the House, he "still seemed to have a good jnany friends left. '(Cheers.) Auckland's -friendly welcome showed at •least that he had been forgiven. In attending the Conference he knew that be went first and foremost voicing a very strong feeling of the loyalty of Hew Zealand for the Old Land. (Applause.) Personally he could not have any other sentiment toward the Old Country. Ho had been brought up in that atmosphere all his life. They •yrere our kith and kin in the OH Land, and ho realised that New Zealanders ;would stand by them, through thick and thin. (Applause.) There existed that strong sentiment that was'better than anything put on paper. While New Zealand felt toward the Old.Land as she did there was no'need of parchments. (Cheers.) He felt that the New Zealand representative at the Conference would be in one of the strongest positions of any because he would be speaking for a people who were all of one mind. , "NO MERE LIP SERVICE.'* ( One matter of great importance that would come up at the Conference would fee that of Empire trade. In New Zealand we had given practical expression jof our sentiment for the Old Country by giving her "manufacturers very substantial preference. , Ours was no mere lip service, and in the Old Country k ihat expression had been greatly 'appreciated. New Zealand had every right to feel proud of her financial position at Home. Her reputation stood higher than that of any of the •other Dominions. The Dominion undoubtedly had her troubles; 'there had Tbeen a substantial fall in the value of her products, but she had experienced lower prices in the past.'Costs'were to-day higher, but the whole thing was a matter of readjustment. There -were jtjreat possibilities for' an. increase of New Zealand products. He felt sure that in'a'few short years her production, would bo doubled, and with that prospect in front of them there was no need 'for the people to feel pessimistic about the' future. (Applause.) New Zealand would soon get over her difficulties. It was a matter of readjustment, and then she coujd confidently face the coming years. SIR T. SIDEY'S FAREWELL. Sir Thomas Sidey assured his hearers that in Parliament he really had done one or two things besides being responsible for trying tc give people a little more daylight. He went on to say 'that the forthcoming Conference was specially significant because there was a question of paramount importance coming up, and that was the question of Dominion status. It was a matter that had never concerned us. In New Zealand we had been content to go on as we had done 'before, but certain other Dominions were not bound to the Mother Country by ties such as jthose that bound New Zealand, and that fact must bo recognised; if the Empire |»vas to continue as an Empire. If,certain other Dominions had not the same sentiment for the Old Land as New Zealand had, there was something else that might appeal to them, and that was self-interest. If something; could Too done in the- way of Empire trade it ,might go a long way to help to. hold .together different parts of. the Empire. (Applause.)