DOMINION AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 120, 14 February 1940, Page 8

DOMINION AND WAR

Issue Declared To Be Farm Or Fight ADDRESS BY MR. DOIDGE Dominion Special Service KATIKATI, February 13. Ultimately Hie war issue in New Zealand would resolve itself into a simple alternative: farm or light, said Mr. Doidge, M.P., speaking at. lhe opening of Hie agricultural show in Katikati. Those were the two fronts on which man-power was needed. "Let us organize for victory on both.” said Mr. Doidge. “At the National Party caucus in Wellington, just concluded, we took a unanimous decision to sink party politics, and get behind the Government in its war effort,” he continued.

“Germany makes war in pursuit of territorial expansion. If Britain were to go under, our fate in New Zealand is obvious. As one of the richest primary producing countries in the world, this Dominion would be a certain prize, claimed by the victor from the vanquished. “In New Zealand we have given two definite pledges to the Motherland. AA 7 e have pledged ourselves to maintain a division in the field : we have pledged ourselves to maintain and even increase our supply of foodstuffs to Britain.

“To maintain a division at full strength for three years we must find 1)0,000 men. So far we have recruited .15,000 men only who are physically fit. There are in New Zealand 200,000 men of age for military service. The need for united national effort is clear. “This does not mean that every young farmer is expected to rush off to the nearest recruiting office. On tlie contrary the Government is as much concerned about production as it is about, recruiting.”