BRITISH BROADCAST

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4960, 25 February 1937, Page 4

BRITISH BROADCAST

MR. NASH’S SPEECH PRAISED. MINISTER’S PERSONAL SUCCESS. London, January 27. Praise for the recent broadcast speech of Mr. W. Nash, Minister of Finance and Minister of Marketing, on “New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Nations” is contained in an editorial in the leading newspaper of the Minister’s native city, Kidderminster. Referring to the speech, it states that one could not fail to be impressed with Mi*. Nash’s sincerity and idealism. The spoken word revealed the new spirit—care for the unfortunate, sick, and blind—but it went further in outlining a policy by which the whole standard of life in New Zealand was to be raised. In Great Britain, the editorial continues, the people had emerged from the days when 30s was considered a decent weekly wage for an artisan. Increased spending power had meant that the whole outlook had improved. Whether Mr. Nash was too idealistic, it was impossible to forecast, but some way had to be hammered out by which the people both in New Zealand and in England should not continue to live in poverty in a land of plenty. Some of the suggestions, the newspaper considers, seemed Utopian. But, it points out, so did the old age pensions, the maternity and child welfare system, and many other ameliorative measures of a generation ago. Mr. Nash has made a good impression in England as the following unsolicited comments show: “Able Trade Representative.” The head of a leading firm of importers of meat from Australia and New Zealand: “In my opinion, Mr. Nash is the most able trade representative of New Zealand we have yet heard in this country. He is an accomplished public speaker, but we feel that there is sound common sense and, above all, a deep sincerity in all that he says.” A prominent bide and skin merchant: “After having heard Mr. Nash speak at the Bank of New Zealand dinner, I became keen to study the record of what exactly has been done by his Government to date. There is no doubt about it, I believe Mr. Nash to be one of the first Socialists who is not afraid to tackle the basic realities of the present economic situation. My firm, since we have always endeavoured to operate on the policy of acting as agents only for the New Zealand producer, is anxious to render Mr. Nash every assistance. He has our earnest co-operation in his efforts to further the lot of the farmer, particularly the small producer.” A director of a well-known English firm with large interests in New Zealand: “I must say that quite frankly*I and several of my friends attended a dinner at which Mr. Nash was to speak with the thought that we were to hear the usual public-spoken platitudes. However, a complete surprise awaited us.” Fullest Information. One of the smaller wholesalers on the Smithfield meat market has been more than impressed with what the Minister has had to say. He seems to have gained the impression that the future welfare of his business as a selling agent for New Zealand mutton and lamb was largely dependent upon what Mr. Nash’s attitude would be to this all-important industry. He has offered to divulge to Mr. Nash the fullest information concerning his own operations. An offer of this type from the typical reticent English business man is unusual.

More than one representative of a New Zealand firm in London has expressed the view that had not the Dominion been able to send a representative of the ability of the Minister of Marketing to carry out the present involved negotiations with the British Government, the future for primary industries in New Zealand would have been by no means bright. The European situation is considered to be so unsettled that there would have been a stronger inclination on the part of the JJnited Kingdom to restrict or penalise all imports severely, the object being to achieve self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time owing to the strong possibility of war.