DINNER AND BALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 15, 17 July 1937, Page 11

DINNER AND BALL

NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY

MR. SAVAGE ON HIS AIM

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, June 16.

Of the many festivities of Coronation year, in. which. New Zealanders have joined- wholeheartedly,- ■ there has been none more popular than the New Zealand Society's annual dinner and ball at the Savoy Hotel. Unfortunately, the numbers had to be limited and some 200 late apiplica-. tions for tickets had to be refused, all the available accommodation being booked three weeks before the event.

Over 500 guests were received by the president, Mr. W. J. Jordan (High Commissioner), and Mrs. Jordan, and the guests included the Prime Minister (Mr. M. J. Savage) and Mr. AY. Nash,' "Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nash, and Lord Ealfour of Burleigh. The New Zealand cricket team were also, present," and the Prime Minister's reference to it received by'far the warmest applause during the after-dinner" speeches. . "The " members of the team may," said Mr. Savage, "be disappointed with themselves. But I am not. . These..boys representing New Zealand cricket will be no disgrace to the Dominion after their sojourn in the British Isles, for they have not only learnt how to play the game of cricket but also how to play the game of men."

Mr. Jordan introduced the Prime Minister as "a man who has reached his goal in life" by having attained a position where he could be of assistance .to men and women of his generation,.for he had craved all his life to be able to help' the aged, the widow, the fatherless, and the ordinary people .doing , the ordinary work of the country.. There was no man more fitted to lead the country, becau.se of his sympathy, sincerity, character, and ability, : than Mr. Savage. NEW ZEALAND'S AIM.' Mr. Savage, replying, said that he and' Mr. Jordan had lived to see-some-thing of the results of the struggle which had existed right from their infancjv Sometimes they had been classed as lunatics, later, on they were regarded as "not bad fellows," and now people were beginning to see that there might be something in what they had been talking about. Mr. Jordan had no light responsibility in London, but he had the confidence of the Government, and his job was to give effect to its policy. There, was no man. in New Zealand -or outside who was better qualified to dp that than Mr. Jordan, with the assistance of his good wife.

Referring to London as having been "of great assistance financially and otherwise" to New Zealand, Mr. Savage continued: "Some newspapers have been good enough to suggest that, we are not capable of measuring up to our responsibilities., Now I am pledged to the people of New Zealand to be able to look them in the face in the days to come and to challenge: them to say where. I. have let them down. I want, to say that to the bondholders of Britain. : We.'owe something to Britain financially, and we will pay the debt notwithstanding what the newspaper editors may say to • the contrary."

: All they were asking of Britain was a fair deal and value for value. His challenge to Britain was to show him what was wrong and what was unsound in that proposition^ He wanted to know from their kinsmen in Britain whether New Zealanders were to be driven into foreign markets, or whether they were going to live, love, and die—if need be —with their kinsmen.

Mr. Savage also had a word of praise for Mr. Maurice Smith, hon. secretary of the New Zealand Society. The Dominion, he said, was indebted to him .for carrying on the work of'the society, and he added: "I. am hoping that- even the New Zealand Government might be able to do something worth while in. assisting in the great work that Mr. Smith and his associates are carrying out to make our Dominion better understood in the centre of the British Commonwealth of Nations."

After dinner, and before the dancing began, an excellent cabaret show was presented. The ball continued until 2 a.m.