DEBT TO THE NAVY

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12195, 21 July 1925, Page 5

DEBT TO THE NAVY

MR COATES ON IMPERIALISM NEW ZEALAND’S SLOGAN "INTEGRITY, THRIFT, INDUSTRY” (By Telegraph.—“ Times” Special Reporter.) PALMERSTON NORTH, July 20. The Prime Minister visited Palmerston North this afternoon, and he was accorded a civic reception, at which there 'was a big gathering of citizens, presided over by the Mayor, Mr F. J. Nathan, who regretted that he could not follow the English custom of conferring on tht> guest of the day the freedom of the city, but said that he proposed to order a book in which all such distinguished guests would be invited to write their names, and in that hook the first to write his name would be Mr Coates. Mr Nathan said he was proud to welcome Mr Coates, because he was “one of us.” He was New Zealandborn and bred. Mr Coates had justified the confidence reposed in him by his excellent administration of the departments of which he had had control. New Zealand was extremely jealous of the position held by its representative at the Imperial Conference, and he hoped, and felt, that Mr Coates would be the representative of this. country at the Imperial Conference which must "he held soon. That he would fittingly represent New Zealand there could be no doubt. Was it possible to he represented other than well by one who was born here, educated here, lived his whole life here,' and fought for the 1 country? Tho desire of the people of New Zealand was a stable Government that all the people of the country could look up to, a Government that had a due respect for the throne and the British Empire. IMPERIAL IN THOUGHT Thanking the gathering for the welcome that had been given him, Mr Coates said that no one could have been more impressed by its sincerity. He hoped thaf as time went by he would be able 'to justify the confidence reposed in him. New Zealand- itas Imperial in thought, and Imperial matters were the higher' side of our political life. These matters needed a great deal more attention to-day than they did in the past. . Everyone of us, he said, believed that in our Empire we had a great heritage which we could not afford to lose. We were asked for our opinions now on Imperial questions. We were in constant communication with the Old Country, and we offered our opinion. But if those at the J*9hd of the Empire decided on a certain' course there would-be-no hesitation on the part of New Zealand. She was with the Mother Country to a man. In return for the assistance we had Bad m time of peril, we were, trying to do our best to-day, and we were trying to give a little more assistance to. the Navy. We recognised that in the everft'of trouble, as we were so isolated, naVal protection was essential to us.

He thought that everyone believed that as far as we could we should take on greater responsibility in regard to paval defence. While England was suffering from trade depression and unemployment, we should -do all we could to their manufactured goods, to take their population, and endeavour to people their vacant, spaces. He believed the people would support that policy so long as it was sensibly carried out. “ALL IN ONE BOAT” In New Zealand we had onr internal troubles, but we were all in the one boat, and we should all endeavour to pull together and endeavour to bring about that unity of \ purpose which went to make a great, nation, but we needed to proceed on sound, commonsense business lines. He wished to pass on to his departmental officers the credit which had been given him for the work he had done with the several departments he had had control of, and he wished, the people' to realise that the services of these officers were the people’s services, and for that reason all should co-ope-rate to make them successful. ' It was true he was New Zealand-' bred and born, and it was not for persona] gain that he had worked sixteen and eighteen hours a day, but because he loved the country and the people. If given an opportunity he sincerely believed that he could, with the assistance of those people who placed country before individual interests, accomplish a lot towards making this a place delightful to live in and a country to be proud of. “I believe,” continued Mr Coates, “that if we make this our slogan, ‘lntegrity, thrift, and industry,’ we •can accomplish what I, have just referred to. A house divided against itself could not stand, and in these days we must put our shoulder to the wheel. It means work and energy, hut if we do this, I believe we will attract to New Zealand the best citizens of the Empire, and those are the people we want."