SERVICE TO NATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 118, 19 April 1939, Page 9

SERVICE TO NATION

IN AN EMERGENCY. DUTY OE PEOPLE. PREMIER’S VIEWS. Per Press Association. _ WELLIN 01 ON, April 18. National responsibilities were discussed by the Prime Minister (Rt. lion. M. J. Savage) when extending a welcome to visiting delegations at the State luncheon, to-day, in honour of the delegates to the Pacific Defence Conference. lie said that whatever disaster or emergency came along there was much to be done, and for that reason every man up to 45 or even 50 years of age should avail himself of the opportunity to be ready to serve bis country. As a layman be felt that the best way to help the British Commonwealth was to help ourselves. A tribute was paid to President Roosevelt by Air Savage, who also commended the statement of Air Eamon de Valera, that it was better to have a conference before a war than alter one. The name of Franklin Roosevelt, ho said, would live when many of them had been forgotten, because of the things ho had been saying the last day or two. In extending a cordial welcome to the visiting delegations, Air Savage said they were there to exchange opinions as to the best means lor defence in the Pacific. He apologised for the absence of Vice-Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Australian Naval Board, who is the leader of the Australian delegation and is also attached to the British delegation as a representative of the Admiralty. The Vice-Admiral is indisposed, and the Prime ALinister expressed the hope that lie will have a rapid rceovUJ ‘ TTAIE FOR ACTION. It was time for calm and cool thinking and time for calm and cool action, said Air Savage, and all ought to know what part they had to play in the defence of the system they and earlier generations had helped to build. Tue delegates, said Air Savage, had a very important mission. AYlien one looked at the world to-day one could hardly be surprised at the tact that there was a defence conference meeting in Wellington to sec what could be done and what should be done to help them keep their end up in this part of the British Commonwealth. “I am always ready to lilt my hat to men like President Roosevelt,” said Air Savage amid applause. “"Withoutstopping to ask any questions he simply says what is in his soul. 1 am ready to" raise my hat to President Roosevelt for a number of reasons, and not the least is that in his own country he is up against great difficulties, the reasons for which will commend themselves to those present without amplification on my part. “Then again T find myself on side with Air De Valera, who thinks it better to have a conference before a war than after it,” said the Prime Alinister. “That seems to me plain common sense. I could talk with a man better before I fought him than after. Jf our fellows would only talk for 12 months we could be sure they would not be fighting for that period. “There are reasons lor all our disagreements and till we put them out of existence altogether we will never get the superstructure we are all asking for and everybody wants. Ale cannot carry pious resolutions ill favour ol this and that and wait for the results. AA'e have to be prepared for other things that may happen and for that reason we have our good friends among us to-day.

HELPING OURSELVES. “As a layman I have always felt that the best way in which we can help the British Commonwealth of Nations is to help ourselves, and if we have anything to spare after that we can leave it to the manhood of New Zealand.” said Mr Savage. “The first thing is to be able to look after ourselves. “Tt is not altogether the boys’ job. 1 would rather think it was a job for the manhood of New Zealand, and perhaps in some respects for the womanhood of New Zealand to meet any disaster that came along.” Mr Savage said there was so much to be done whatever disaster or emergency might come along, and for that reason every man up to 45 or even 50 years of age should embrace the opportunity of being ready to serve. (Applause.) That was only just a plain understanding among ourselves. He hated to use words which meant compelling people to do something they disliked and to conscript this, that and other thing. When the nation had its hack to the wall, perhaps isolated from the rest of the world, they should lie aide to feel that every man would be ready to say. “I am-here. What can I do to help A lot of people, said Mr Savage, were asking the manhood to enrol. Ho said good luck to them: but it could not he left to their efforts. The people of the country wore being asked to play a part in looking after themselves if it should come to the worst. He was hoping in the near future that they would be asking every man up to 50 years to do what he himself would do,' and so make every man feel he was defending something that was worth while and that he himself would a part in the defence of a system he had helped to build. Conditions had changed in the last twenty years. Political systems were in the melting pots and the rights of the poonlo to govern were beiim challenged. Everybody should have their thinking caps on. PART IN DEFENCE.

“This is a time for calm and cool thinking, and a time for calm and cool action,” said Mr Savage. “It is too late when the balloom goes up, to use a popular phrase, to think about what you are going to do. All ought to know what part they have to play in the defence of the system they and earlier generations have helped to build. T do not claim the present system is perfect, but perfection or the amendment of it is with us,, and not with some individual. It seems to me the people as a whole should play their part.

Mr Savage, referring to the presence of the delegates from the United Kingdom and Australia, said they had heard, no doubt, something about the import control. However, there might be no argument about that in a week or two. It might he decided for them, iThe day might come sooner than they

thought when they might have to go to war.

Tt was reasonable to suggest that the reason for calling a conference was not altogether to hoar the"- own voices, hut because they want< 5 the best advice on the methods of how their kinsmen overseas weie going to move and how thev in New Zealand could move with them, so that at a given moment they could start the machine going in such a way that it would at least mean something different from chaos. They would have the views of the delegates and it would he the Government’s job to implement what was considered necessary by those who should know the best way to keep their end up in New Zealand. This country had played its part in the past, and if obliged to do so would do the same agin.

MASS RECRUITING

BOAT CLUB MEMBERS. WELLINGTON April 18. A lead to sporting bodies throughout New Zealand was given in Wellington to-night by the Star Boating Club, when about 40 members of the club paraded at the drill hall in Buckle Street in a body and enlisted for service in the New Zealand Territorial Forces. This action is believed to he without parallel in the Dominion and it is understood the men will lie, attached to B Company of the Wellington Regiment, the City of Wellington’s Own, and that they will probably constitute a complete platoon. Following the. intensification of the recruiting campaign approximately 200 men have, enlisted in Wellington in less than two weeks. Of these more than 100 were recruited last week and about 80 were medically examined to-night. The Star Boating Club's action is believed to have originated through exservicemen members of the club influencing others to offer themselves for military service. Satisfaction with the type of recruit offering was expressed to-night by the medical officers who carried Tint, the examinations. Major W. F. Sliirer, N.Z.M.C., senior examining officer, said the men were particularly , fit. The action of the club, he added, might well ho an indication to other , spin-ting bodies that they could eontrij hute a" - particularly good class of re- | emit to the Territorial Forces,