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OPENING R .S.L. V I LLAGE . CHEL· TENHA M >
Fix this textP HD MARCH 8 1962
Fix this textSpeech by the Prime Minister, the Ht. Hon, H.G, Mens ie s.
Fix this textSir George 5 and ladies and gentlemen,
Fix this textI think I ought to begin by telling you that my
Fix this textappearance here today, and that of my wife, are the result of a
Fix this textlong negotiation. Most of last year we vrere trying to find a date.
Fix this textWhen we found one that suited George Holland it turned out it
Fix this textdidn’t suit me 5 and when we found one that suited me it turned out
Fix this textthat it didn’t suit somebody else. ie got to a point, finally,
Fix this textwhere we both began to wonder whether, if the event came off at the
Fix this textbeginning of March. 1962, I would be here in my official capacity
Fix this textat all, (Laughter; But with his usual magnanimity Sir George took
Fix this texta chance - and I did too. Anyhow on a photo finish here we are -
Fix this textand very pleased I am to be able to be here.
Fix this textSir George’s referring in generous terms to the Aged
Fix this textPersons’ Homes Act is a very interesting conjunction of the planets
Fix this textI may tell you today, because this particular scheme originated in
Fix this textone of those rather abrupt remarks that one’s wife makes
Fix this textoccasionally at breakfast time« My wife put her finger on this
Fix this textyears ago and said, "This is the great problem and why don’t you do
Fix this textsomething about it, the problem of providing proper living
Fix this textaccommodation, not, in barracks, or institutions, but in an
Fix this textordinary human way for people who are up in years?" I was stunned
Fix this textby this, but my mind, for once, was quite active, and out came the
Fix this textscheme as we now know it, which, of course, has since been
Fix this textimproved. I’m interested to tell you that in her favour because,
Fix this textwithout any full realisation of it, when the date for today’s
Fix this textfunction was fixed Iforgct, you see, that it’s her birthday todayI
Fix this textNov;, Sir George, there are two or three reasons - I won’t
Fix this textbe long - why I*m delighted to be here and one of them, if I may
Fix this textstart off with yourself, is because you aro presiding here today,
Fix this textand have had a great deal to do with this achievement. You know,
Fix this textcontrary to the public impression ladies and gentlemen, it isn’t
Fix this textall beer and skittles being a Prime Minister. I know there are
Fix this textplenty of applicants for the job at any given moment, but it’s
Fix this textreally not all that fun, you see. I’ve been a Prime Minister,
Fix this textnow, as anybody can tell you, for too long, for about 12 years,
Fix this textand a bit, on my recent term. During the great bulk of that, for
Fix this textthe first 10 or 11 years of that, the Federal President of the
Fix this textLeague was George Holland. That means in the course of events
Fix this textthat he and I, over a long period of time, havo seen a lot of each
Fix this textother. It’s been a very, very happy association - not because I
Fix this textfound it easy to say "No" to him, I occasionally said "No", but
Fix this textquite frequently, as he'll agree, he got away with a certain amount
Fix this textof loot, rightly or wrongly, and we’ve had a very, very happy
Fix this textpersonal association.
Fix this textNow no Government in Australia will be as effective in
Fix this textits work as anybody would expect unless it has representing groat
Fix this textgroups in the nation competent and responsible people. A Federal
Fix this textGovernment charged with responsibilities for repatriation, with
Fix this textresponsibilities in relation to a mass of things affecting ex-
Fix this textservicemen, and ex-service women, would find it difficult to
Fix this textdischarge these responsibilities on a merely departmental basis.
Fix this textSo much depends on the quality of the service organisations and the
Fix this textresponsibility or irresponsibility with which they put forward
Fix this texttheir case. I want to say about the League that in my
Fix this textprotracted experience as a Prime Minister, and as a Minister, I
Fix this textknow of no organisation which has so firmly and agreeably asserted
Fix this textwhat it believes to bo the rights of its members and has so
Fix this textscrupulously refrained from being a mere pressure group.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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