AN APPEAL FOR SUPPORT.

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 8

AN APPEAL FOR SUPPORT.

MINISTER ADDRESSES RAILWAY MEN NEWSPAPERS CRITICIZED An appeal to all railway men to give him their support and co-operation in his effort to have the New Zealand railway system raised to a standard of efficiency comparable with, if not superior to, any system in the world, was made by the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) in an address to a big attendance of railway employees and others in allied trades at a social function arranged in _ his honour in Smith’s tea rooms last night. “I don’t think I will appeal in vain to the railway men,” the Minister said, “and I don’t think the Government will appeal in vain to the people of New Zealand to help us realize our ideals. A short concert programme, in which leading Invercargill performers took part, was given in Smith’s hall before the Minister’s arrival and he arrived in the hall in time to hear Miss Davin singing an appropriate number—- “ Danny Boy.” Brief addresses of welcome were given by the Hon. T. F. Doyle, M.L.C., Mr W. M. C. Denham, M.P., and Messrs J. Alsweiler (Labour Representation Committee), M.. B. Feil (Associated Society of Railway Servants), R. Jones (Railway Officers’ Institute), A. M. Edwards (EngineDrivers,’ Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association), and R. Rodgerson (Railway Tradesmen’s Association). Mr H. S. Orr presided. Resolution Carried At the conclusion of Mr Sullivan’s address the following resolution was carried unanimously: “Southland railway men wish to express their entire satisfaction with the present ministerial railway policy and pledge themselves to do all in their power to make it effective.”

Reference had been made, the Minister said, to the work of his’ wife and himself as Mayoress and Mayor of Christchurch during the depression. They could not have raised the sums of money to relieve distress in the city that they had if the people had not rallied round and given freely and willingly. Although he had been working for 30 years in pursuit of his ideals for a higher and finer form of civilization, he had seen in those years of depression concrete evidence of the intolerable conditions by which society was oppressed. That had served still further to emphasize the need for continued effort in search of his ideals. The Government was now endeavouring to translate into practice the ideals for which Labour had been working. It had succeeded in many ways: legislation to provide better wages and improved living and working conditions had been placed upon the Statute Book. The newspapers today were playing a very sorry part indeed, Mr Sullivan continued. When he had been faced with difficult problems he had read the newspaper comment on the work he was doing. He had wished to see if they had any suggestions to offer —suggestions which might provide him with a way out of the difficulty. He had read dozens of editorials and on not one occasion had he found a. concrete suggestion to help him. All he found was continued criticism —criticism which in no way adhered to the canons of fair play. Still Much To Do ? The Government had still much to do and in the session ahead, it was hoped to place on the Statute Book and have put in practice two important measures —national superannuation and national health insurance. These two measures practically constituted the dream of the Prime Minister, who wanted them to be the people’s possession forever—something no future Government could take away. And the Government was at one with the Prime Minister in. his desire to give social security to the P The Minister then went on to discuss the policy he intended to follow for the improvement of the rail system of the Dominion. “I want two things,” he said. “They are the management to do its duty to the staff and the staff to do its duty to the management, the Government and the people of the country. Fair play, justice, happiness and prosperity to the people of New Zealand constitute the overwhelming passion of the Government.” An address to railway men was also given by Mr G. H. Mackley, General Manager of Railways.