As a Politician Sees Us

Northland Age, Volume 7, Issue 39, 29 June 1938, Page 1

As a Politician Sees Us

Dr. Hugh Dalton, one of the ablest members of the British Labour Party, represented the Parliamentary Opposition at the Sydney anniversary celebrations, and paid a brief visit to New Zealand. He gives his impressions of both countries in an article in “The New Statesman.” Of Australia he formed a favourable impression. “In Australia social iquality is in the air. Australians are not socially cowed. There is wealth and poverty, of course, but both less extreme, massive and enduring than with us. Australia is much less remote than we from the classless society.” And he illustrates with an incident. “I was invited to a Law Convention at which the Federal Attorney-General was to read a paper on the Statute of Westminster. With other visitors, I was placed in the front row of the platform. In the second row was a number of Australia’s most eminent judges, B fore the session was formally opened, a press photographer came forward from the body of the hall to get a picture of the platform. ‘Will you gents at the back stand up?’ he cried. The judges of the High Court rose obediently. My mind wandered to our own Chief Justice and his learned brethren.” New Zealand, the little he saw of it, seems to have impressed him very favourably, and he gives a new rendering to a much-worn phrase. “New Zealand is only 1200 miles from the east coast of Australia, nearer than Sydney is to Perth. New Zealanders seldom cross to Australia, though there is more movement in the opposite direction. The present Prime Minister is an Australian, and so are three of his Cabinet colleagues. In physical features New Zealand is much more spectacular than Australia; in personal character the reverse is true. The Southern Alps in the South Island are a magnificent range rising to over 12,000 feet, nearly twice the height of the highest mountains in Australia. And they rise almost straight out of the open sea, their lower slopes densely clothed in virgin bush, with glaciers running down right into this bush to within 600 feet of sea level. This amazing conjunction is found nowhere else in the world. I shall never forget my brief vision of these glories. “Likewise the Geyser Valleys and the terrific Blow Holes of the Thermal Regions in the North Island are with-

out equal, either in Australia or else where. “But the dwellers in this wonder land are a quiet people. As in Au. tralia, one is conscious of common sense democracy, social quality, an physical health, but of much less em phasis and personal colour.” “Yet in politics New Zealand is pie neering again, as in the ’nineties e last century. Then she led the worl in adopting women’s suffrage, old ag pensions, industrial arbitration and wide range of social activities. Thes were the days of Seddon and Pembe Reeves and a Liberal-Labour Gov eminent which combined energy wit skill and judgment. Today Messrs Savage, Peter Fraser, Nash and the i colleagues in New Zealand’s Labou Government are blazing new trails proving that Socialism and Social P.< form are not alternative but com plementary policies, and demonstral ing that Democracy, comp ntl handled, can deliver the goods. Thi s Ministers are a good team. I me them all, and many other interest in people in a few crowded days at We lington. With the aid of a grea variety of public works they hav practically wiped out unemploymen They are controlling and cautiousl expanding credit through the Reserv Bank and the State Advances Corpoi ation. They are creating a brand ne l .Socialist industry in iron and stee They are launching a pensions an health scheme more generous in it benefits than any in the world. The are letting no grass grow under the feet. They are acting on the favoui ite exhortation of Bob Semple, the; Australian-born Minister of Publi Works, the biggest thruster in th Cabinet, who frequently abjures slov moving officials, pi’ jlic bodies -an groups of workmen to ‘Go and g< your running shoes.’ ”