PEOPLING NEEDED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 7

PEOPLING NEEDED

LANDS OF DOMINION OPINIONS OP MR. SAVAGE DEVELOPING PRODUCTION PROBLEM OF MARKETS {Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. ‘-‘Unless we can populate we can never hold New Zealand for ever. That is, sure,” declared the Prime Minister, the. Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage at Qxford yesterday afternoon. The question of population was raised -by Mr. P. Fisher, the chairman of the Oxford County Council. “With teeming millions within almost a stone’s throw of this country. 'it would be unfair and morally wrong for us to go on holding the usable territory,” said Mr. Savage. “We must set about making things better and I am - sure we will proceed along sound lines.- ; • • - 4 . “First we must lay a foundation Upon which to lay the superstructure. We <Jo hot. want teeming millions cording here- struggling for wages and jobs.”-"" • New Zealand had first to use the land to develop production. If it Cquld not sell more of its primary products in other lanjis, it would have to bring people here and sell the goods to them here. Bringing Buyers to Country It might be more economical to bring a man from Birmingham and sell him butter here than to send butter to'him in Birmingham. “Once we cannot expand opr exports we will have to find an increasing' market for our products in our own country,” continued Mr. Savage. “W* will face up all right to the expanding production.” Increased purchasing power had been advocated by him at the Imperial Conference, but it was curious how they could not get people in high places to understand that argument. They said it was sentiment. He said it was plain economics. , ‘‘The moment London finds out that we are not buying from her, she will not buy our wool,” said Mr. Savage. “There is no sentiment about her on that point. We have been accused of buying too freely in Condon and also of not buying enough. Whatever we do, we get the blame for doing wrong.”

FINANCE OF NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTION AS BASIS LABOUR PARTY. POLICY (Per Prqss Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. “I say definitely that New Zealand Is not. going through a period of ofitarvation and poverty as long «as Labour rules,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, at Lyttelton last night when he further elaborated on the Government’s financial policy. Money for the country, he said, was to be found in production. The printing of money would not help anybody. “We have the production and we have the means to put it in the hands of the people,” said Mr. Savage. “We are going to do the job. We have talked long enough about it. A depression that comes is the folly of man. In this prolific age where is the ‘excuse for a depression? "No one is silly enough to suggest that we are running along as if on a billiards table, but New Zealand is able to produce all the necessities of life.” Confidence in the return of the Government at the general elections was expressed by Mr. Savage. The Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, was more optimistic still : and predicted a bigger majority for the Labour Party. “We are going back to Wellington to complete what we set out to do. *3 provide a lgreater measure oi security for the people than they have ever enjoyed in the past.” said Mr, Savage. • “No matter what is said about it in the meantime, you can j ’ take it that we will not let you down. “You are the jury and I have no doubts about the jury’s verdict. My advice to those wh’o do not worry about the law against betting is not to bet against the Government in any case.” The expression of feeling everywhere, Mr. Webb said, was that the Labour Government would be returned with a greater majority, not because of its promises, but because of its deeds. “We have done so much in a short time that even the most pessimistic of workers rejoice to think of the possibilities ahead,” said Mr. Webb.

ENJOYING GOOD HEALTH DENIAL OP RUMOURS MR. SAVAGE’S ASSURANCE (P«r Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Denials of rumours of his ill-health ! were made by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in several addresses in North Canterbury yesterddy. ' He declared at Darfield that he J • had never felt better. "They have been trying to bury me for the past six months but I will not lie down, gs»id JUr* Savage, who enumerated complaints from which rumour said he -was suffering. “1 am feeling as well as I have ever done in my life,” he stfid at Darfleld.