CIVIC WELCOME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 134, 8 June 1937, Page 6

CIVIC WELCOME

ACTING-PRIME MINISTER FUNCTION IN OPERA HOUSE CITY'S COMMUNAL SPIRIT PRAISED DEMOCRACY MUST RULE *‘l would like to congratulate you on what lias been done in Wanganui in a communal way, by all sections of the people showing a spirit of co-operation, and i could not help feeling that this is j the spirit we need more of in our ■ national affairs,” said the actingPrime Minister and Minister of I Education (Hon. Peter Fraser) replying to a civic reception tendered to himself and Mrs Fraser in the Opera House last night. Despite the bleak conditions a large crowd assembled to honour tne guests. The Mayor of Wanganui <Mr vY. J. Rogers) presided, ana associated with him on the stage were the Mayoress (Mrs Rogers), Mr J. B. Cottenll, M.P., and Mrs Cotterill, Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., Mr E. M. SiiK (president of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce), Mr W. J. Gibson Hughes (president of the Tourist and Development League), Miss A. C. Tizard, M.A. (principal of the Wanganui Girls’ College;, Mr F. W. Gilligan, M.A. (heaamaster of the Collegiate School), Mr I. £. Newton, ivi.n. (piHicjpai tne Technical College), Mr G. S. Gordon (chaff man of the Girls’ College Boar a;, Miss Currie (member 01 the Giris’ College Board), Mr L. W. Hogocn 'chairman of the Technical College Board;, Mr J. Patterson (member of the 'i ethnical College Board), Mr G. W. Currie (chairman ol the Co..eg. ate School 'irustees;, Mr Hope GibrxjXJi (chairman of the Health Camp Trust Board), Mr and Mrs Hugh C. Jenkins, Mr and Mrs D. E. izustin, Mr George Murch (town clerk), city councillors, representatives ot various local bodies and educational units. Mr and Mrs Fraser were played to the Opera House by the Wanganui Highland Pipe £and, and the Garrison Band played selections at the Opera House entrance. A brief but cordial welcome was extended to the Minister by the Mayor. “I am echoing the sentiments and thoughts of tne community when I say that the acling-Prime Minister is held in the highest esteem and respect in Wanganui and surrounding districts,” Mr Rogers said. (Applause). Mr Silk, welcoming the Minister on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and business section of the community, said that a great deal of the legislation the present Government had put through had been needed. The Chamber of Commerce, while it was certainly critical of some of the measures, would support the Government as much as it was able, as it believed that the Government was sincere. “Your superannuation scheme for all is one oi the finest things for New Zealand,” said the speaker. (Applause). Mr Gibson Hughes thanked the Minister for the encouragement the Government had given to the youths’ afforestation camp in Wanganui and for the work it was doing in connection with attracting tourists to the Dominion. Faster transport was another matter on which the Government was deserving of congratulation, and the speaker commended its efforts to link New Zealand by air with other countries. Mr Cotterill publicly thanked the Minister for the interest he had shown in various matters brought before him in Wanganui. “It has been a matter for criticism that Wanganui has been a more or less forgotten city,” said the speaker, “and that it has very rarely had visits from Cabinet Ministers. Since the Government has been in office we have had visits from several Ministers. I might say that you, yourself, are held in the highest esteem by all shades of political thought in Wanganui.” (Applause). Mr Hooper, representing organised Labour in the city, added his welcome, referring to Mr Fraser as the first officer to the finest skipper the ship of State had ever had. (Applause). Mr Fraser expressed regret that it was not Mr Savage himself who was being welcomed. He was representing New Zealand at the Imperial Conference as capably as this country had ever been represented. “I regret, to see a tendency on the part of some newspapers, in a small, puny sort of way, to belittle the intellectual calibre of the Prime Minister,” Mr Fraser continued, referring to the way Mr Savage’s suggestion of a further international conference in the cause of peace had been received in some quarters. “Criticism, when it is intelligent, incisive, even when it Is devastating, is to be welcomed, and the Government, of which I am a member, welcomes it. But there is an attempt, made in a puny way perhaps, but still an attempt, to belittle the Prime Minister, and that has developed into what might be termed intellectual snobbery. Because Mr Savage put forward a proposal in the interests of world peace, to our great surprise we have been told by some newspaper editors that he is not able to deal with world affairs. It is all very transparent ana made without any knowledge of the type of man the Prime Minister is. No man has applied clearer reasoning or made a keener study of world affairs than Mr Savage. (Applause). In Mr Savage and Mr Nash, not only was this ' Dominion well represented, but we had two men who can compare favourably with the representatives of any other country in the world.” (Applause). Mr Fraser said that he was not going to deal with political matters, but would content himself with describing impressions he nad obtained during his programme in the city. He could not help noticing what had been done in a communal way in Wanganui, and referred to the establishment of the Children’s Health Camp. He congratulated the city on its effort towards the King George V. Memorial Fund, an effort made following other appeals. He congratulated those responsible for the establishment of the camp at Gonville—the giving of the site, the work done about it and the wonderful spirit of co-operation among local bodies. “Also, I was particularly impressed by the fact that on one Saturday 40 plumbers of the city combined in a

working bee and devoted their Saturday io the interest of the children,” the speaker continued. “I congratulate them on the splendid use they made of that Saturday. They, themselves, have justified the 40-hoi t week by that alone. I am told, too that their employers gave what they could, and that example of co-opera-tive effort is really inspiring. It seems to me that if v. e extended that spirit to the whole of our national life this country would be an even greater country than it is at present.” Mr Fraser made reference to the benefits of democracy ana urged that everything be done to safeguard it as against wnat was happening in other countries, where autocracy was trampling democratic government underfoot. The aim of governments, he said, should be to see that the economic resources were so organised as to produce wealth as protusely as possible and, by wise laws, so arrange the distribution of that wealth that every man, woman and child wat properly fed, adequately clothed and housed, and given an opportunity, through educational and health institutions, of developing into lhe finest type of men and women, mentally, morally and physically. “That should be the objective ot governments," Mr Fraser added. "And to bring that about you must pass laws, some that may not suit everybody, out democracy must stay, and the majority, sc long as it is lair to the minority should rule. I have not yet met anyone in this country who can say then is anything wrong with the objectivt 1 have mentioned, can see any aanget in the ideals I have quoted, and lhe Government which sets out with those ideals, generally speaking, will have the support of those people who take an intelligent interest and will rally in support ot that legislation."

The speaker concluded by reminding his audience that in addition ta internal affairs the country had concern with world matters and he stressed the importance of the League of Nations, which, though it had disappointed its component parts was, nevertheless, the only hope ot the world for peace. The Government of New Zealand would hold out lhe hand of fellowship to countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, beyond that, to every nation and every race under the sun, believing that the foundation nt peac“ '•>• In the brotherhood of nian.