WILL LISTEN TO ADVICE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20672, 10 March 1937, Page 8

WILL LISTEN TO ADVICE

ASSURANCE BY PRIME MINISTER WELFARE OF DOMINION IS BASIC INTEREST By .Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND. March 9. The willingness of the Government at all times to "listen to the other fellow’s point of view” was emphasised by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage in responding ,to the welcome extended to him at a luncheon given by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. There was a large attendance which included the Minister of Health (Hon. P. Fraser), the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong), the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb) and the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Lee Martin). “Chambers of Commerce by offering their advice can continue to help the Government, the business community which they represent and the people of this country,” said Mr Savage. “It would not be right for me or for the Government to take the power to say the last word on everything There is always the possibility that the other feilow may be right, and I hope the time will never come when I w‘ll push advice aside as if it did not count. I personally cannot imagine a state of society in which all a.er would think alike, but if we have to disagree about details, let us agree to differ. We all have the same basic interest, the welfare of New Zealand as a whole. I myself have to speak to people of all shades of political opinion, and I am bound to say that in the majority of cases they make some impression on my mind." The advice which ca tie from the Chamber of Commerce, the Prime i.iinisted continued, was renerally advice from people experienced in some particular phase of commercial practice. Naturally it was impossible for the Government to include in its own ranks experts in everything, but its duty was to sift the evidence tendered to it ’ey men who understood a particular problem in an endeavour to arrive at a solution su'table to -11. Any Government worthy of the name was bound to take notice oi advice when it was backed up with knowledge. "We need all the guidance we can get," Mi Savage added. ‘We cannot write all the advice tendered to us in the law cf the land, but I can assure you that the representations which you have made to us have been employed in the shaping of our legislative proposals. This kir.d of co-operation is of the utmost value, and I hope it will still be forthcoming in the future.”