WILL LOAD SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 158, 5 July 1940, Page 4

WILL LOAD SHIPS.

OFFER TO GOVERNMENT.

NATIONAL SERVICE MOVEMENT

Confirming the telegram sent to the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, last evening that it could arrange for men to load ships at Auckland in any emergency, and that there was no need for ships to leave produce behind, the National Service Movement sent the following letter to the Prime Minister to-day:—

"We have no doubt that the action on the part of the waterside workers at Auckland will be causing you the greatest concern, and we wish to assure you that we are wholeheartedly behind any steps which you may take to rectify the position and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

I "Our conversation with you leaves no doubt in our minds that you will regard any action whereby any section of the community prevents the transport of foodstuffs to the Old Country as little short of criminal. Britain is our first line of defence, and this stoppage, on the face of it, is a denial of food to those who are fighting for us and who urgently require iK We have only newspaper reports f> rely «>n, but there would wwin to l>e, in the present case, no justification for the stoppage of work. Could Draw Up Panel. '"Kioin the many thousands of gup. porter* of this organisation we feel confident that w<. can draw up a panel of able-bodied men who will be willing to assist the Government in getting away ships in cases of emergency. The members of this organisation* are in ' all walks of life, and we have no doubt that we can make a register of men such as storemen, packers, warehousemen, carriers and the like, whose experience in handling goods would be invaluable to the Government. These men. pledged as they are to foster the spirit of- unity within the nation and to assist wherever possible in winning the war. are willing to help the Government at all times of the day and night if you will but call upon their services Ihe vast majority of loyal citizens deplore the fact that Xew Zealand's maximum war effort should in an wav be im]>eded by any section of the coniinunitv."