FRIENDLY VIEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23012, 13 April 1938, Page 17

FRIENDLY VIEWS

GERMAN ASSURANCE NO DESIRE FOR STRIFE • .a AMICABLE CONTACTS VALUED An assurance that Germany, under Hitler, does not harbour warlike designs against the rest of the world was stressed by several German speakers at an official dinner on board the German tourist liner Reliance last night. The guests included representatives of civic, commercial and shipping interests in the city and, in the absence of the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, the Government was represented by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong. The friendly relations between New Zealand and Germany, as exemplified by the recent trade agreement between the two countries, was stressed by Mr. J. Blumhardt, president of the Auckland German Club, in proposing the toast of the New Zealand Government. In reply, Mr. Armstrong stated that the agreement concluded by the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, was the kind of arrangement calculated to keep countries out of war and to promote international friendship and goodwill. In response to the toast of tho Hamburg-Amerika Line, proposed by Mr. A. Ely, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Captain H. Kieff, master of the Reliance, stated that he understood his company was going to establish a regular freight service between Germany and New Zealand on the same lines as the service maintained for the last 50 years between Germany and Australia. He hoped that such a service would bring Germans closer to the British people of Australia and New Zealand, for the simple reason that his experience in command of a cruise ship, with passengers drawn from different nationalities, had convinced him that the greatest hope for world peace arose when people of different countries met together and spoke as man to man. "As Germans, we are far off from shooting other people," Captain Kieff said. "We only desire peace, and that is our desire not only as individuals but as a nation. Let us have peace now and in the future so that we can enjoy life."

Other toasts honoured were: The Auckland Harbour. Board, proposed by Captain Kieff. and responded to by the Hon. T. Bloodworth, M.L.C., chairman of the board; the City of Auckland, proposed by Mr. A. G. Limn, president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and responded to by the deputyMayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C.