Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1943. LEND-LEASE OPERATIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 33, 18 November 1943, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1943. LEND-LEASE OPERATIONS.

The three statements one from London, one from Washington and one from Wellington —on the operations of the lendlease system during recent months bring home the magnitude of the mutual aid the Allies have undertaken. Mr Nash struck the right note when he said that comparisons are “entirely contrary to the conception of the mutual aid agreement,” but even so it is permissible to dwell a little on the position of New Zealand. The figures revealed show that in this reciprocal business this country is pulling its weight. In the last seven months goods and services valued at £18,000,000 were supplied, against £7, 000,000 in the previous twelve months. The Budget estimate of expenditure under reverse lend-lease in the current year was £20,000,000, a figure that at the present rate seems certain to be largely exceeded. If expenditure were to continue at the present rate, it would exceed £30,000,000 by March 31. But, .as Mr Nash said that “assistance is increasing at a progressive rate,” the total for the year may exceed £30,000,000. In fact it may come close to balancing the Budget estimate of £40,000,(XX) for American lend-lease supplies. These in the first half of the current year were valued at £20,600,000. The first year of lend-lease, New Zealand returned a little more than five shillings in the pound for American lendlease. In the current year she should return at least fifteen shillings in the pound and may ap•proach closely to a pound for pound basis. These figures, so far from creating self-satisfac-tion that might lead to a slackening of effort, will spur the people of the Dominion to increased endeavour to prove a sturdy independence that declines to rely unduly upon others in a struggle that vitally affects ourselves.