MR. SAVAGE IN CH.CH.

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1937, Page 7

MR. SAVAGE IN CH.CH.

PEOPLE AND RESOURCES CONFERENCE PROBLEMS [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, February 19. At the civic reception, after acknowledging the welcome, Mr. Savage i referred to his visit to Britain. He said: “The voice of New Zealand, if it is heard at all, must be heard in ' the direction of trying to put the (world of to-day and of the future on 1 a peace basis. However, 'we must make the foundations safe before the superstructure is worth much; and for that reason, it will be necessary j first to settle the economic problems which at present confront the nations.” “I will soon be taking part in an Imperial Conference which will probably be the most important ever to have Tleen held,” he added. “I am optimistic enough to believe that those who will, assemble there will be able to rise high enough to devise suitable methods of , utilising to the full the huge resources contained in the territories over which their flag flies;” He said ’the purpose bf the Imperial Conference would be to develop trade as far as possible,’within the British Commonwealth of Nations. International trade was a secondary consideration; but it could be taken for granted that, if all the members of the British Commonwealth were prosperous, wealthy communities, other nations of the world would be eager to trade with them.

“There is ample room on the earth’s surface for the whole'of humanity,” Mr. Savage continued. “No particular section has any right to a monopoly. We in New Zealand have no strong claim to the territory we hold, unless we secure the population necessary to develop it to the fullest extent. That, in itself, would be our surest method of defence, for it would no longer provide the same temptation to the covetousness of other peoples. Our responsibility, as the Government of this country, will be to see that the newcomers have a place to lay their heads and tlje right and the opportunity to earn a living. The problem is one which affects other Dominions equally with ourselves, but I make bold to say that the Imperial Conference will face its responsibility in this respect.”

VISIT TO GENEVA CHRISTCHURCH, February 19. In addition to attending the Imperial Conference when he goes to England shortly, the Prime Minister will also have the unusual honour of addressing the members of the International Labour Conference on the legislation and policy of his Government. In an interview to-day, Mr. Savage said that the Director of the International Labour Office had written to him mentioning that the legislation of the Government of New Zealand had attracted the interest of other countries, and suggesting that he might like toaddress the Conference in June. Mr. Savage said that he had accepted the offer, and he would give the Conference some idea of the legislation of last session of the proposed new measures, and a general’outline of the policy of the Government. His visit to the Geneva Conference would not clash in any way with that of the Minister for Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, who .was being sent to Geneva by the Government as its official Ministerial delegate.

NO CONSCRIPTION. CHRISTCHURCH, February 20. A definite assurance that the Labour Government is opposed to conscription in all its forms, was given by Mr. Savage, when, a deputation of the National Peace Council waited on him this morning. The deputation asked that the compulsory clauses in the Defence Act be repealed. , Mr. Savage said there were a lot of Acts on the Statute Books for which the Government was not responsible, and which would not be there much longer. Compudsory military service was one of those. The Government was opposed to conscription in all forms.