VICTORY PARADE OPPOSED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24052, 14 September 1943, Page 4

VICTORY PARADE OPPOSED

VIEWS OF LOCAL BODIES

« WAR FAR FROM ENDED ”

Strong opposition to the Government’s proposal to hold a victory parade in each city and town on Saturday, which has been declared a public holiday, was expressed by the mayors of boroughs and chairmen of local bodies in the Christchurch metropolitan district at a meeting yesterday afternoon. Representatives of organisations which would be concerned in the • arrangement of such a parade in Christchurch were stated to have expressed disapproval also, and the meeting decided to send the following telegram to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), Mr J. Fletcher (chairman of the Victory Parade Industrial Committee, Wellington), and the Mayors of Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin: — “Mayors and chairmen local bodies Christchurch metropolitan district unanimously opposed to demonstration Saturday. Christchurch has already officially recognised surrender of Italy. Among reasons are: war far from ended and Italy not yet occupied. Minister of Supply publicly declaring petrol situation acute yet it is proposed to use thousands of gallons throughout New Zealand. Further, all associations contacted declare impossible to carry out programme submitted by Saturday.” “It looks as if they have tied our hands and are going on with it,” said Mr J. E. Tait, Mayor of Sumner, after a letter from the organising secretary of the Victory Parade Industrial Committee, setting out the arrangements for the parades, had been read by the chairman, Mr E. H. Andrews (Mayor of Christchurch). “Personally, I feel that the people are quietly conscious and happy about the capitulation of Italy and that they have already demonstrated their feelings in their own way. “Still Hardest Part to Do” “To break in now on our war work—and nearly everyone is busy on the war effort in some way—is not appropriate,” said Mr Tait. He said it would mean carpenters and painters giving up a great deal of time this week who could ill be spared from their work. “But when they have gone that far with the proposal, can we go back on it?” asked Mr Tait. Mr J. Halligan (chairman of the Waimairi County Council): You mean, are we game to? _ Mr W. F. McArthur (Paparua County Council): Everybody is pointing out what the Allied leaders have said; that we still have the hardest part to do in Italy. It is difficult to get away from the feeling that it is a political stunt. Mr Andrews read apologies from the chairmen of the Halswell and Heathcote County Councils. Both, he said, were opposed to the proposal. Mr McArthur: The views expressed here and by those who have sent apologies are, I believe, a fair indication of the feeling of the public. That was confirmed by the yery many telephone calls he had received from members of the public during the day, said Mr Andrews. The Minister of Supply had assured a meeting at New Brighton that the petrol situation was as bad as ever, and that no more could be spared for the men on furlough. Thousands of gallons would be used throughout New Zealand in the proposed processions. “Enthusiasm Is Spontaneous”

Mr H. P. Smith, who attended on behalf of the Mayor of Riccarton (Mr H. S. S. Kyle), said the Riccarton borough was prepared to join in any celebration that was organised but Mr Kyle had expressed the opinion personally that such a parade was neither necessary nor called for. Mr Smith added that at a Home Guard parade on Sunday volunteers to take, part in the procession were Sought. Out of 160 men the number of volunteers was nil. “They are a fair sample of the public—a decent type of fellow," said Mr Smith. The president of the Builders* Association, said Mr Tait, had told him the builders were opposed to the scheme. They were “up to their eyes in work, much of which was important national work. "Enthusiasm is spontaneous in a case like this. The other day people expressed their feelings by attending civic functions, by gmng out and getting drunk, or by hoisting their flags, said Mr Halligan. The civic celebration had, he thought, been quite suitable, said Mr McArthur, but he had heard a fair amount of criticism that even that was inappropriate in the present circumstances. The Canterbury Employers’ Association and the Manufacturers’ Association were communicated with by telephone during the meeting and Mr Andrews reported that while neither association had considered the proposal as a body, many individual members had made known their opposition to the proposal. They agreed that it was impossible to arrange such a procession in the limited time available.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY ON SATURDAY “MARCHING TO VICTORY” PARADES BIG PROCESSIONS PLANNED (PA.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 13. No effort is being spared by’ the Government in preparations for Saturday’s “Marching to Victory’ parades to make them outstanding spectacles. In the 24 largest centres processions will be organised by the Government, and it is expected that local bodies will organise celebrations in smaller centres. A public holiday has been proclaimed by the Government for the occasion. . j The New Zealand Navy, Army, and Air Force with thejr women’s auxiliaries will take a prominent part, as will the forces of Allied nations where available. In addition trade union organisations are co-operating to bring as many as possible of then members to participate in appropriate sections of the parades. n: r ,«f n n At a meeting to-night in Wellington upward of 50 sketch plans for decorated floats were on exhibition. These have been prepared by the Government departments concerned, and copies of them are being rushed to the four main centres, where it is expected that most of the floats will appear. The time for the building of these displays is short, but. the Government, through the Cpmmissionei of Works (Mr J. Fletcher) has arranged for the Housing Department and the Public Works Department to co-oper-ate with local builders’ committees in the provision of the necessary ■ labopr facilities and material.

GOVERNMENT’S PLANS

ORGANISATION OF TRANSPORT Details of the victory parades that the Government has requested should be held throughout New Zealand next Saturday have been received by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. H. Andrews) from Mr W. G. Plummer, organising secretary of the Victory Parade Industrial Committee, Wellington. This committee, it is explained, was set up to assist local bodies in their preparations which had to be made at short notice.

The aim is to make' the processions as varied and entertaining as possible. Military authorities will make contact with local committees for the purpose of co-operating where their military establishments permit of their participation in the parades. Designs of floats typifying all angles of New Zealand war activity have been prepared, and local committees are asked, in anticipation of the arrival of these designs, to undertake immediately the organisation of transport. A list, the letter states, should be prepared of the available lorries, including those of cartage contractors, merchants, industrial firms, and manufacturers. In the event of insufficient being available application should be made to the Public Works Department, which has been