World Welcomes The New Year

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28783, 2 January 1959, Page 7

World Welcomes The New Year

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, December 31. Peace and progress were the keynotes of New Year hopes which poured from the capitals of the world today during the last hours of 1958. Boisterous celebrations to greet 1959 with optimism were held in many countries. Europe’s revels were helped by a spell of mild weather—the mildest for years in some places.

The Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) said in his New Year message that Britain entered 1959 in a spirit of confidence, resolution and hope. “I earnestly pray and hope that 1959 may be a year of peace and prosperity in all the world We in Britain will certainly work untiringly to make it so. "Problems there will be in plenty, but also great opportunities,” he said. The Leader of the Labour Party. Mr Gaitskell, forecast that a General Election would “almost certainly” take place in 1959. “For us in the Labour Party it will be a year of tremendous challenge and opportunity. We can and we must throw out the Tories. We can and we must bring Labour back to power,” he said.

U.S. More Confident Frank Oliver, special correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association, says America is waving farewell to the departing year reasonably cheerfully, glad; that it turned out better than expected and hopeful that 1959 will be a better year in all respects. Americans entered 1958 with a recession developing and with the uncomfortable feeling they were a long way behind Russia in scientific development and probably in military strength. They enter the New Year feeling that much has been done to draw level with Russia, that the recession is over and that a new era of prosperity is waiting. France prepared for a last spree before tightening her belt under the austerity Budget. Champagne, kisses and the midnight “reveillon” meal were the last pleasures before a hard year’s climb back to economic power. King Frederick of Denmark, confined to his bed since Friday with a collapsed lung, insisted on making a four-minute broadcast directly from his bedroom. "• hope the New Year will bring possibilities not only of solving our domestic problems, but that there may be found ways and means of creating an international legal system, which can bring about peace in the world,” he said.

“Majestic Progress”

The Soviet Prime Minister, Mr Khrushchev, said at a diplomatic reception in Moscow that 1959 would be a year of even more “majestic progress” for the Soviet Union.

Diplomats reported after the Kremlin reception, given by the Soviet Government for the diplomatic corps, that Mr Khrushchev was in buoyant good humour and proposed all the toasts. They said he skirted major international and domestic issues, except to reiterate the Soviet Union’s prime aim of overtaking the United

States in national output. A message from the Kremlin to the Soviet people promised a better life and more powerful defence in 1959. It said: “The New Year will be the first year of the country-wide effort to implement the sevenyear plan. During the next seven years, the country will take a decisive step forward in creating the material and technical base i communism. Its economy and defence will grow significantly.

“At the same time, we will have the opportunity of giving more full and all-round satisfaction to the Soviet people’s growing material and spiritual requirements. The tremendous advantages of socialism will be revealed more vividly than ever.” Madame Soong Ching-ling, widow of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who founded the Chinese Republic, said over Peking Radio today that the last year was the most decisive and glorious in China’s annals.

“A greater year lies ahead,” she added. Chiang’s Hopes In Formosa, Marshal Chiang Kai-shek said that his Government would do its utmost in 1959 to recover the mainland of China. He expressed confidence that all his fellow countrymen ‘‘will be united to make a supreme effort against the despotic reign of slavery which the Peking regime has imposed on our compatriots on the mainland.”

The Quemoy Islands were not shelled today—although December 31 is an “odd” day and subject to the Communist bombardment schedule. This is the result of a Nationalist decision not to fire back at the mainland for three days over the New Year. The Japanese Prime Minister <Mr Nobusuke Kishi) said Japan in 1959 would continue a policy of “peaceful diplomacy,” toward a “brighter Japan and a brighter world.”

In Singapore, the Chief Minister, Mr Lim Yew Hock, said 1959 would see the end of 140 years of colonial rule in the island. He said Singapore’s people wanted democracy and peaceful settlement of problems, integration with Malaya and prosperity through trade. The Indian Prime Minister. Mr Nehru, sent his good wishes to the people of Japan and hoped their efforts to halt nuclear tests would be successful. “We live from crisis to crisis and no-one knows when the crisis may not result in an eruption,” he said. Australian Assessment The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) said in his message that the danger* of a Com-munist-inspired world war is re-

ceding. The American recession is lifting rapidly and the growing strength of sterling will stimulate world trade in 1959. Mr Menzies said: "It is one of the great things about life that

every year brings its problems, its calls upon courage and effort and steadfastness, and its rewards. “We are a happy nation because, in spite of some dismal critics, we have for the greater part earned our happiness. I am proud to be the political leader of a nation with such a record of achievement, with such varied interests, and with such sanity and good humour.” The Opposition leader, Dr. H. V. Evatt, said: “My New Year message is to emphasise the supreme importance of strength-

ening all the processes of conciliation and peaceful settlement of disputes, both employer-em-ployee which affect Australia internally. and the more far-reach-ing conflicts between nations leading to international friction, international dispute and actual threats to international peace.”