MR. SAVAGE'S RETURN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1937, Page 6

MR. SAVAGE'S RETURN

ANOTHER WELCOME HOME

A LARGE GATHERING

More '. than five ; hundred executive members of the Labour Party throughout 'New Zealand .and.,their wives assembled in the social room at Parliament. Buildings ■:yesterday : afternoon and extended to; the Prime (the Et. Hon. -M.." J. Savage); a memorable welcome .on .his" ; return from the Coronation and .Imperial. Conference. The Acting Prime- Minister ■ (the Hon. P Fraser) presided .over the function, which took, the form,of an afternoon tea. '.■■'■'■"■ '■".■'. Mr. ■Fraser; expressed his pleasure at the: large' number present, and said fiat it was proof of the strength and intensity, of feeling of friendship for the' Prime Minister.' . The ■ receptions that had ■■ been . accorded Mr.. Savage in Wellington were, proof that he was held in higher, esteem than ever, if "that-were possible, and that the support for'him .and the, Government m the. "country, was stronger than ever beMr. Fraser then dealt at length with a comparison; of the conditions ruling when .Labour took . office. - and. those ruling elsewhere, his remarks on this subjects being. reported elsewhere. He concluded his. address. by saying that Mr." Savage had; come back to a country that was beginning to enjoy the' benefits of Labour's policy, and to his ; friend's. "We -receive you back with1 enthusiasm,", said ■ Mr. - Fraser, "knowing "that you..-.will- once more take up .the task,.of leading our.party and,- the/Government; ably' and . well, and with great" results to this country. You come back to a party that is stronger than ever before, more enthusiastic than ever 'in. support of Labour's principles, and ideals, and more determined that its mission to abolish poverty and the fear of poverty will be carried to a successful conclusion." AN ECONOMIC MISSIONARY. :'."Mr. • J. '-.Roberts, •'presidentv'of .the Labour. Party, onibehalf:,of. the-execu-tive, added -his' welcome. A hundred years ago,- he :.said, missionaries', had :been, sent to-New; 'Zealand, ■"'■ but 'Mr. Savage ;^vas,' .the 1- first missionary—an economic missionary—that New .Zealand :.h'ad' sent to' Great Britain.' Mr. Say'age's:,name was known throughout the' world, and so was the name .of New Zealand.' Mr. Savage; had returned;to the Dominion as, plain Joe Savage,:the champion of the common folk, not" only in. New Zealand, -but throughout the* world. And how that he" was '■ -back ' again, v New . Zealand would' forge ahead,' knowing that its economic; and .social Vdestiny were-se-cure under his leadership. .; ; ' ■•■;'■ , ;.; Mr: F.::P...Walsh, on behalf, of the Federation of Labour welcomed Mr. Savage back to New Zealand.-:, ~ ,: ' Others who added words of welcome were-Mrs, A. Cook, of, Auckland; Mrs. P Dowse-of the Hutt women's branch; Mrs. Bentley",; ;-■ of \the '.Wellington women's -branch; Mr.. J. Cumings of theHutt=.L.R:c.; ahdVMr.'.O. A; Johnson,of the Wellington':L.R.C. ; ._ , Mr. Savage .was given 'an .ovation when heVrqse to reply. :"It : is- splendid to be with you .'here, today," he said. "You have--no;-.idea what joy. it brings to 'me.",' • ■■ ,": ,-■'■ _, ■'■■■■■■~ . ., ;li-.■■■■,■ . .:■■■.- -.. :'-'C ' ■ DmDING PKOSPEEITIT. .; v;. He 'said:-;theV:':cbuidr-riot'''.(io''--''iriucri-abroad-unless, -they, began at- home. They could not have,: a ' prosperous country without an equitable division of prosperity. That was one of the main functions of the Government. 11 democracy was going to be worth while the Government had to give a lead; it was going to see that they had.production and prosperity in industry, and having attained that they would have an equitable distribution of the country's production. . He had heard a lot of "bunkum" talked about the high cost of living ■and. similar things. He was . not worrying about the weight of the wages bill; he wanted to increase it. What was the use of machinery and science if hours of labour and wages were not to be put on an equitable basis? They were better without the machine unless people got some benefit from it. Mr. Savage said he was pleased at the consolidation, of the tradeunions.They needed, organisation, and until they had it there could' not be an intelligent democracy.. For that reason industrial consolidation was long overdue. He congratulated Mr. Walsh and those with him on bringing about the consolidation of Labour's industrial army. It was the machine that infused life into industry; it was the machine that was going to give intelligent expression to the ideals of Labour. "We have not gone half the distance," said Mr. Savage, "but we are going the full distance. We want the people to come with us. We want them to trust us. All we ask is help and appreciation when the work is done. I appreciate the wonderful work that has been done in the past, and I appreciate the high honour that has been conferred on me by. the ..people of New Zealand.-';I will never be able to repay the: debt I owe to the people of ■ this; country, "but Twill try. It is delightful;to' realise that I have come back."to,people:of.progressive thought, people who will, rise to .greater heights inthe^next ten. years, than, any people on earth. We have made progress that has not been made in any other country, and other countries are realising that. If we can continue to show the light to the rest of the world the Sermon on the Mount will not have been in vain."