TOLERANT OF ADVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 58, 10 March 1937, Page 8

TOLERANT OF ADVICE

PREMIER’S ASSURANCE TALK TO MEN OF COMMERCE GOVERNMENT NEEDS THEIR CO-OPERATION WILLING ALWAYS TO LISTEN [ Pei Tress Association. ] AUCKLAND, March 9. The willingness of the Government at all times to "listen to the othei fellow's point of view” was stressed by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in responding to a 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 (the Hon. P. Fraser), the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. Webb), and the Minister of Agriculture (the 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 fellow may be right, and I hope the time will never come when 1 will push advice aside as if it did not count. I, personally, cannot imagine a state of society in which all men 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 came from the Chambers of Commerce, the Prime Minister continued, was generally 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 I duty was to sift evidence tendered to it by men who understood particular problems, in an endeavour to arrive at a solution suitable to all. Any Government worthy of the name was bound to take notice of advice when it was backed up with knowledge. "We need all the guidance we can get,” Mr. Savage added. "We cannot write all the advice tendered to us , into the law of the land, but I can I assure you that the representations I which you have made to us havi been I employed in the shaping of our legislative proposals. This kind of co- ' operation is of the utmost value and I hope it will still be forthcoming in the future.”