LIFE AND WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23616, 28 March 1940, Page 14

LIFE AND WORK

PERSONAL QUALITIES HIGH OFFICE ATTAINED POLITICS IN MANY FIELDS ENTRY INTO PARLIAMENT Like many of his colleagues in 'New Zealand's lirst Labour Cabinet, the late Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, was an .Australian by birth. Tie was born 011 his father's farm near Benalla, Victoria, in 1572. As a boy, he worked 011 the larm and then, at the age of I I, took a -position as an assistant in a general fctcire at Benalla. For about seven years, Mr. Savage continued his work in the country store, but in 159.'3 the sensational bank crash occurred in Australia. The financial crisis was attended by a disastrous slump i' l trade and Mr. Savage was one of thousands who found themselves out of employment, with all their savings extinguished. Many Varied Occupations Mr. Savage, then a young man with no binding home tieSj decided to strike out for himself. He found his way to iSew South Wales and there worked 011 a 'sheep station. For several years he turned his hand to the various tasks which arise on a large station, but in 11)00 lie rofurnod to Victoria to visit his brother in the mining town of ilutherglen. Mr. Savage had not intended to stay there, but before long he found himself working in an alluvial gold mine at North Prentice, near Hutherglcn.

For some years, .Mr. Savage liad been interested in the Labour movement and in the study of Socialist philosophy, but it was at Rutherglen that his activity in Socialist politics first became really marked. He became a branch secretary of the Political Labour Council, which later developed into the Australian Labour Party, ami from that time onward liis interest in Labour politics became practically all-absorb-ing. One. of Mr. Savage's early tasks in tlia Labour movement was the organisation of a co-operative trading venture i -which was started by tlie miners. Ho was appointed organiser and latermanager ot a bakery and grocery store in ■which he achieved a measure of success: Arrival in New Zealand Perhaps Mr. Savage's closest friend among the miners was "Paddy" Webb, later to, become his colleague in the New Zealand Parliament and .Minister • of Mines in the first Labour Govern-' ment.. It was Mr. Webb who, in 1906, persuaded Mr. Savage to cross the f"asman and try his fortune in New Zealand. After' his arrival, Mr. Savage went, first to Palmerston North, .where he was employed in one of the flaxmills by Mr. George Scifert. A movement for starting a co-operative grocery business in Auckland attracted him north in 1907. That particular venture did not reach fruition, but Auckland remained Mr. Savage's home until his elevation to the highest political office in' the Dominion necessitated liis residence in Wellington. One of Mr. Savage's first jobs m Auckland; was at a breworv in Kliyber paws—"a job as rousoabout " is how he used to describe it himself. This incident in the Prime Minister's life was recalled in the Legislative Council during the 19.">0 session' of Parliament bv the Hon. K. R. Davis, of Auckland, who described how he and Mr. Savage used to work together and how, during the lunch hour, they used to sit on a be/L'r barrel and talk politics. Political Activities The crossing of the Jasman did not dull Mr. Savage's interest in the Labour movement. Those who worked with him in his days at the brewery remember him as a great reader of radical literature, a keen lunch-hour debater and a vigorous champion of the rights of the working man. He soon became, prominent in Auckland Labour organisations J ami, in The general elections of 1011. announced himself as a Social Democrat for the Auckland Central seat, then held iu the Liberal interests by Mr. Albert I'M ward Glover. Considering the popularity of the sitting member, Mr. Savage put up '' l creditable and finished second in a fourcornered contest. In the 1011 election, just after the outbreak of war, Mr. Savage again stood as a Social Democrat lor Auckland Central, but hardly made as good | a 'showing at the poll as on his first j attempt. Five years later he announced his candidature for Auckland West and in a close light, defeated two well-known A/ieklamlers. Mr. C. l'\ Bennett and the late .Mr. A. .J. Fntrican. He held j the Auckland West seat with increasing majorities at every election since 1919. I Entry into Parliament

When Mr. Savage first entered Parliament in 1019, the Reform Governifient. under Mr. Massey, was in power. The Liberals were in Opposition, but there was a small band of Labour members, comprising the late Mr. H. E. Holland, the late Mr. J. McCombs, Mr. W. E. Parry, Mr. F. N. Hart rain, 'Mr. P. Fraser, the la to Mr. E. J. Howard, Mr. 1). G. Sullivan and Mr. Savage himself. Of these all except M essrs. Holland, McCombs and Jlartyam remained in Parliament to see Mr. Savage lead them to the Treasury benches in 19;V>. Almost simultaneously with his entry into national politics, Mr. Savage won g. place for himself in local body affairs.

lie was elected in 1910 to both the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Hospital Board, but. retired from both bodies after four years, owing to pressure of business. He was again elected to the Hospital Board in l'J-7, but resigned when he took _over the Leadership of the Opposition. Mr. Savage's maiden speech in the House was delivered during the Addrcss-in-Koply debate on July 7, 1920. Even as far back as that he spoke of "using the public credit through our own institutions in our own way rather than going to the Old Country for the right to work our own country." Ho also condemned the pensions system "based on poverty'"' and advocated its replacement by a system "based on the services rendered to the community by the receiver" —his first Parliamentary reference to social security. These two points are sufficient to show how constant Mr. Savage remained to his political ideals. Quite early in Mr. Savage's political career he was appointed deputy-leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the leader being another Australian, the late Mr. Holland. The two men. who had not met until Mr. Holland's arrival in New Zealand some years after Mr. Savage's departure from Australia, had virtually the same political outlook but markedly different methods of approaching it. The result was that, while Mr. Holland was usually regarded as being too fiery for the great mass of New Zealand electors, Mr. Savage gradually began to attract attention as a man whose views were generally moderately expressed. Knowledge of Finance

1 For a number of years Mr. Savage I had the reputation of being one of the ; I best-informed Labour members on finI ancial topics. When the Labour Party . I was in Opposition it was ho who shared j with the late Mr. J. McCoinbs the responsibility of loading his side in Bud--1 get debates and over a long period his ' election speeches were largely shorn of I the usual brand of Labour oratory and • given over to highly technical, and at times involved discussions of the money 1 problem and financial matters gener- ; ;illv. Ho had studied economics ill classes arranged by the \\ orkers' Kdu- ! cational Association and through his own reading and, in It is own quiet way, ho became an enthusiastic disciple of the money reformers. Leadership of Parly Mr. Savage remained the Labour Party's authority on finance until Mr. Walter Nash entered the House after the Hutt by-election in 102!). From then onward, Mr. Nash, with his accountant's training and passion for financial detail, gradually took over Mr. Savage's tasks in this respect and Mr. Nash's financial ascendancy became oven more marked alter Mr. Hollands death in ]9.'i;s and Mr. Savage's subsequent elevation to the leadership of the party. The caucus at which Mr. Savage was elected leader of the Parliamentary Labour Partv was held 011 October 12. ][);};{. He had' 110 serious rival for the position. With his selection as loader 4 of his party, he automatically became Leader of the Opposition in the middle of the term of the Forbes-Coates Coalition Government. Astute Political Moves Tt was not long before -Mr. Savage altered in several important respects the political tactics ot his party in Parliament. He was never a believer in talking merely tor the sake of talk, and a proof of the changed attitude ol the party in this respect occurred at the opening of the I'.KU session ot Parliament. After the formal moving of the Address-in-Keply bv Government, members. Mr. Savage announced that he and his supporters regarded the.Government's policy as so barren of hope that they did not propose to take part in the debate. On the other hand, Mr. Savage was always a vigorous verbal fighter when the necessity arose. On several occasions during the lifetime of the Coalition Government Mr. Savage led allnight stonewalls against important legislation and, although his own contentions to debates were seldom notable for their fire, it was generally considered that he and .Mr. Peter I'raser were responsible for the direction of tactics. Leader of Government Mr. Savage probably rose <0 the height of his political career during the P,).'s!) election. The country was just emerging from four or five years of depression, when export prices had suffered a terrific slump, and the Labour Party came forward with a platform which promised universal prosperity. Its triumph at the polls is too well known and too recent to need recounting, but interest still centres in the factors which led to Labour's success. The previous Government had been forced by pressure of economic circumstances to do unpopular things and, ; like counties? other Governments, found it was impossible to do unpopular things in a popular way. Labour seized 011 this unpopularity. Mr. Savage toiyed the country for weeks on end. j addressing crowded meetings in every | centre, and in all probability the Labour victory would not have been nearlv as decisive had it not been tor the personal following which the leader won lor himself. The result of the elections in November, 1 left Mr. Savage the head of a Government with an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives. Within a few days his Cabinet was formed and New Zealand's first Labour Ministry took office. A task of great magnitude faced Mr. Savage when Ik- succeeded Mr. Forbes as Prime Minister. His party's programme had been so lavish that intensive work was required to have policy translated into performance. Mr. Savage assumed several portfolios, but • as time went on he was forced to leave 1 more and mure detailed work to his colleagues.

A high honour was bestowed on Mr. Savage only a few months alter he became Prime Minister. On April 29, UM6, the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, announced that His Majesty tin* King had been graciously pleased to appoint Mr. Savage to he a member of the Privy Council. He thus became one ot' three members of the House of Representatives .to hold this ra\jk, the others being former Prime Ministers, the l!t. lion. G. G'oates and tho Ut. Hon. C«. W. Forbes.

Mr. Savage's preoccupation with local politics was interrupted lor a time in * 19.'<7 when the Coronation of King George VI. necessitated his attendance in London as the Dominion's official representative at the ceremonies of State. Ho also led the New Zealand delegation to the Imperial Conference which was held at the same time. This marked the first occasion on which he had been outside of Australia and New Zealand. After his return to New Zealand before the session of Parliament, Mr. Savage resumed his task of putting Labour policy into operation. However, the strain of work appeared to be telling on him and a breakdown in health early in 19.' iS forced him to take his ollicial duties much more quietly. A Difficult Period The session of Parliament—a preelection session—was notable for the passage of the Social Security Act. the one.piece of legislation above all others on which the Prime Minister had set iiis heart. 111-health kept him out of the House at internals while the bill was under discussion, but as soon as it became law lie seemed to brighten in spirit to a remarkable extent. At .any rale, when Parliament adjourned. Mr. Savage threw himself into the election campaign with vigour and enthusiasm. He hardly toured so extensively as he had done three years earlier, but he developed broadcast electioneering most effectively, and every public speech he made attracted huge audiences, lie showed himself to be a more vigorous and assertive speaker, but behind it all was the same sincerity and friendliness that had first, attracted people to him. It was after the election—an election at which the Government suffered only a negligible reduction in its huge majority—that the Prime Minister entered on the most diflicult period of his leadership. In the first place, financial difficulties were looming ahead, and within a lew weeks ihe Government was forced to take vigorous actions on various lines which had not figured openly in the Labour Party's election policy. . Challenge Accepted At the same time internal difficulties, arising in part out of the Government's financial problems, began to'manifest themselves. There had been earlier rumours of differences of opinion on financial policy and of the growth of a Left Wing within the Government party, 'flie.se came to a head shortly before last year's Kaster Conference of the Labour Party, and attention was foeussed on them through-1 he wide circulation of a document highly critical of (lovernment policy. For the first time, there was a threat ol a division in the hitherto solid ranks of Labour. Mr. Savage boldly accepted the threat as a challenge to his personal leadership, and at,the conference in Wellington, he insisted on his ultimate authority as head of the Government. The victory that he won in the councils ol his own party was just as sweeping as the victories to which lie had led the party at the polls. A Wave of Sympathy Difficulties persisted, however, and in some ways they were Accentuated by the Prime Minister's continued illhealth. When the new Parliament met for its first session in 19:',!), the party atmosphere was not altogether clear. Mr. .Nash was in Kngland engaged in important financial negotiations, and on August 1 Mr. Savage himself firesen ted the Budget in the House of Representatives. On the following day the whole country learned with dismay that the Prime Minister had entered hospital in Wellington that morning to undergo a serious operation. During Mr. Savage's stay in hospital, and subsequently during a prolonged' period of convalescence, he was the recipient of good wishes from all sections of the community—from political friend and foe alike. He himself was profoundly impressed by the wave ot sympathy extended to him. Then, when the Prime Minister's recovery was .still incomplete, there came the outbreak of war. Secret of His Leadership It was not until nearly the cud of last year that Mr. Savage was able to resume in part his official duties. It is more than likely that at times during the past few months he forced himself to work when prudence should have dictated a contii'.uat ion of his convalescence. lil spite of that, he played his part in directing the Dominion's growing war effort and at the same time successfully resisted what appeared to bo another challenge to his leadership from within his own party. Mr. Savage's position at the bead of the Labour Party could never be seriously disputed. I'-veti those of his colleagues who differed from liiui not so much oil matters of policy as on methods had to admit that he was the one man among them who could appeal to people's hearts as well as their heads, jlis personal qualities, above all, were the secret of his leadership.

CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION GOYFRXOR-G FN FR A L TO ACT The constitutional position arising out of the death of a Prime Minister in office has not had to be faced in Xew Zealand since the death on Mnv 10. 10-2".. of the lit, lion. W. F. Mnssev. If was then stated that the position, in the immediate steps required. was a simple one, the proper and usual course being tor the Ministers to resign and for the Governor-General to send for the acting-Prime .Minister and ask him to form a Ministrv. On Mr. M assey's death the position was not completely straight forward. The acting-l'rime Minister was Sir Francis Hell, a member of the Fpper House. He became Prime Minister and carried on with the existing Cabinet for only about a fortnight. In that interval the Reform Party met in caucus and elected Mr. J. G. Coates as leader and Sir Francis then resigned, Mr. Coates becoming Prime M mister. The position was briefly set out bv Sir .Francis Hell on being sworn-in to succeed Mr. Massey on May 11. 102.». Sir Francis said: "The death of the Prime Minister, although it does not automatically terminate the actual tenure of the other members of the Government and the Fsecutive Council. creates at once t he right, and indeed the duty of the Crown in Fngland or the representative ol the Crown in the Dominion'to call upon some person to take that oHicc, the holder of which has special constitutional functions and duties." When Sir Joseph Ward died in IO.'U) he was not in of lice as Prime Minister, having already resigned on account of ill-health, and been succeeded by the RI, I lon. G. W. Forbes. On the death ol Mr. Seddon in 10(1(5 his natural successor was Sir Joseph Ward, who was absent from New Zealand. Mr. Seddon died at sea on the way back to .New Zealand from Australia and Mr. Hall Jones was actingPreniicr. He, therefore, became Premier until Sir Joseph's return about six weeks later, when he resigned, Sir Joseph forming a Ministry.