GOOD WISHES

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

GOOD WISHES

MR SAVAGE’S MISSION TO ENGLAND ATTITUDE TOWARDS MIGRATION Bv leiegraptt —Fret»s asboclamup AUCKLAND, March 9. The extent to whica favourable conditions may influence the result of the Imperial Conference this year was acknowledged by the Prime Minister ui addressing the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. “It only comes about onse or twice in a man’s lifetime to be able to represent his country at an Imperial Conference," said Mr Savage in reply to the wishes expressed by the president of the Chamber, Mr W. R. Fee, for a successful mission to Great Britain. "This will be my first opportunity, and I can assure you I am not going to play fast and loose with th 3 word and honour of New .ealand. “I freely admit that at the coming conference we have a better chance of obtaining our objectives than any other Government ever had. This -a due □ the altered conditions. We are living in a world which at last seems ready for the resumption of international trade, and as a result there is a great opportunity for the British Commonwealth of Nations to put its own house in order and advance definite and commonsense proposals to the outside world. Until we correct the position of trade and the economic foundation of things, we will never be able to improve the superstructure of international relations. “I am hopeful that the Imperial Conference will be able to make a gesture which will silence the war talk which is going on in Europe tj-day. Uncertainty as to the future is the cause of disturbances, and it must be remembered that never yet have wc had stability to any appreciable extent. There are endless possibilities of production, but we will always have periods of depression so long as people get only £5O for every £lOO worth, of production. When people enjoy .the fruits of their own production there will be no foundation for war.” Migration Mr Savage said he also hoped that the conference would bring about a forward move in the development ot E nire migration.. It was a much discussed topic at the moment and it appeared to him that the best way of approaching this problem was _ rovided in the argument that the best investment of British capital was in the British Commonwealth of Nations. If British capital was invested in the Argentine or in some other foreign country. British migration would follow it there. The first essential vO a migration policy was a firm financial foundation, and that was something which he intended to put before the Imperial Conference as part of New Zealand’s contribution to the discussions. Only the investment of capital would enable future development to support additional population resulting from an active migration scheme. “This question has been somewhat clouded in the past,” the Prime Minister said. “The dividends have been regarded as more important than national welfare, and we must rise to greater heights than that. In this I am not suggesting that the British Commonwealth should occupy an insular position. We can give a lead in the conduct of our own affairs, but we must be prepared to extend our relations to the outside world. “While I am in England I hope to dr my best for New Zealand. I simplv want to see New Zealand and its people flourish. If I can live t; see that I shall be satisfied.’’