Michael Joseph Savage was the New Zealand Prime Minister between 6 December 1935 to 27 March 1940 . He was greatly distressed by the suffering he witnessed during the years of the Great Depression. He felt that all citizens were entitled to “a reasonable standard of living in the days when they were unable to look after themselves”. Savage and the Labour Government set up a comprehensive welfare state to protect New Zealanders from what many had suffered in the depression.      This made New Zealand unique as a nation, and proved that our country could support itself. Our people would be able to live even when they were unable to look after themselves. Presently, the Welfare State is still alive and well. There have been many reforms to improve the system since Michael Savage’s day.