HELP FOR AUSTRALIA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 307, 28 December 1944, Page 4

HELP FOR AUSTRALIA

The message in your issue of j, Saturday last regarding the pur- [ chase of New Zealand grass by Aus- i tralia makes one rub his eyes. Why the purchase? Surely it is time we opened our hearts and pockets to a country which has done so much in the past to help us. Have we forgotten the huge sums of money sent by Australia to help New Zealand after the 'Hawke's Bay earthquake and the lavish hospitality showered on our returned soldiers when they visited Australia some years ago and how Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen protected New Zealand from an invasion by the Japanese for over 12 months before the Americans came into the Pacific? What a short •memory we have,, and how selfish | and self-satisfied we have grown to allow even a proposal of purchase by a countrv we are so indebted to. In all the districts round Auckland and suburbs cocksfoot and other grasses are waist high, and surely someone could start working bees to cut this, bale it up and send it across to our sorely-stricken neighbour. It Avould also instil into the people's minds some idea of helping others, and at present this idea is sadly, lacking in this country and would be a good way of starting on 1945 and show other countries that New Zealand is not the selfish ana self-centred place they think, COLONIAL.