No Sudden Changes; Will Take Things Calmly And Coolly

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1949, Page 5

No Sudden Changes; Will Take Things Calmly And Coolly

HOLLAND DISCUSSES FUTURE

CHRISTCHURCH, Thu. (P.A.).—“We will take things calmly and coolly. We are not going to be rushed into anything, said the Prime Minister-elect (Mr Holland), talking this morning on the Dominion’s future under the National Party Government. Mr Holland, who has obviously taken his success at the poll quietly and with complete composure, said that he would remain in Christchurch until Saturday unless some urgent development required his presence in Wellington sooner than that.

"The first thing we must do is to get the Government established,” he said.

will be designed to remove barriers and misunderstandings.” INDUSTRIAL HARMONY

"Then we must establish the closest contact between the new Ministers and heads of departments. “We will take a very early opportunity of calling departmental administrators together to let them know what we have in mind.

One of the planks in the National Party’s policy was the promotion of industrial harmony, said Mr Holland. He felt sure that yesterday’s vote was an expression of opinion that every effort should be bent towards 'removing misunderstandings and causes of dissension.

"We arc responsible for policy, and they are responsible for carrying out that policy.”

”1 have an unshakable confidence in me sound judgment of the working people of New Zealand, and if we can devise ways and means of allowing the workers themselves to express their views on these important questions, I think New Zealand will be pleasantly surprised at the progress we can make by collaboration,” he said.

Mr Holland recalled how impressed he had been in 1935 when Labour took over the Government. There was no disturbance and departmental heads ensured that everything went smoothly. “I have every confidence in the loyalty and purity of our civil service,’ said Mr Holland, "and I am sure that after the settling-in process, all will continue to go on smoothly. NO REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES "The new Government will not attempt to make revolutionary changes. "The people have approved of our policy and left it to us to put it into effect.

Mr Holland referred to the loss of £164,000 in wages and 124,000 working days through industrial disputes in a period of three months. “If we can avoid this sort of thing we will not only achieve greater harmony in industry, but the effect will also be to increase the earnings of the workers and to increase also the goods on which everybody in the country draws,” he added.

"No businessman taking over a new business would dream of rushing in and making changes without a thorough stock taking and a full knowledge of the details of every department.

TOWN AND COUNTRY “The achievement which the National Party has to its credit is that it has reconciled apparently conflicting interests of town and country. “During my travels round New Zealand I have found that country people are only too glad to recognise the need for manufacturing and town industries. „ V

“I think the same considerations annly to taking over Government.” On the question of international affairs, Mr Holland said he had always believed that they should transcend all questions of party politics.. He proposed to put that belief into practice and New Zealand’s policy on international affairs would continue unchanged. “Mr Fraser was good enough to take me into his confidence on international.affairs and I will be happy to do the same. “In view of the overwhelming importance of world affairs I am sure that Mr Fraser will be prepared to contribute from his vast experience and wide knowledge of the development of New Zealand’s international policy.

“I have tried to hiing home to town and country people the fact of their interdependence, and that is one of the things that I am most proud the National Party has achieved.” Asked whether there was' likely to be an immediate or early session of Parliament, Mr Holland said he could see no reason for it.

Mr Holland was understandably reluctant to commit himself on points which must await longer consideration, but he agreed that it would be necessary for him to shift his household to Wellington in the near future.

AID FOR EMPIRE “I am convinced that the great contribution New Zealand can mn.veto world peace is to help to restore the influence and strength of the British Empire and our whole efforts must be directed to that end. "During the election campaign a certain amount of fear psychology was employed arid after the smoke of battle had blown away some people might still be afraid, and this could have serious repercussions.

“Nobody has anything to fear.

“They have only something to gain from the change.” Mr Holland added. “There will be the adjustments that always hapoen after an election, whether there is a change of Government or not.

“We do not take office to cause uneasiness in the minds of any section of the people. "Our desire is to work harmoniously with all people. “The whole of our administration