COMMERCE CHAMBER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 157, 29 March 1941, Page 7

COMMERCE CHAMBER

Dominions’ War Effort Emphasized ANNUAL DINNER There was an attendance of 140 at the annual meeting and dinner of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, held in the Empire Hotel last uigh-t. Speakers referred to the war effort of Hie Dominions, and a note of determination to do everything possible to help Great Britain permeated the speeches. Among those present were the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, the High Com missioner for the United Kingdom, Sir Harry Batterbee, the High Commissioner for Canada, Dr. W. A. Riddell, representatives of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the consular corps, Government departments, local bodies and business organizations.

The guests were welcomed in a toast proposed by the deputy-mayor of Wellington, Mr. Martin Luckie, a member of the council, in the course of his remarks he referred to the visit to England of the Prime Minister. “You are about to leave for probably the most momentous conference of public men representing the British Commonwealth of Nations that - has ever been held,” he said, “and the sincere and best wishes for your success go with you from all shades of political opinion throughout the Dominion.”

In replying to this toast,' the mayor of Wellington, Mr. Hislop, referred to the Dominion’s war effort. The people of New Zealand were willing to face any hardships and sacrifices to see their job well and efficiently done, he said.

“The people only need to know what the job is and they will do it,” he added. “An example is the extraordinary growth in strength and enthusiasm of the E.P.S. personnel, which has now reached almost 5000 in Wel- , lington. All we want to know is exactly the nature and direction of the efforts required of us, and we will give our best.” Problem of Priority. “One of the problems of this war is the problem of priority,” said the High Commissioner for Canada, Dr. W. A. Riddell. “Priority, and still more rigid priority, is one of the most unfortunate things of the war. My country in this critical period is preparing herself this year for almost absolute priority. She is trying by the middle of this year to put forward her maximiun war effort.” Canada was fortunate in her supply of hydro-electricity, Dr. Riddell said. The country had 8,500,000 horse-power ready to turn the wheels of its factories. Many people before the war were inclined to smile at Canada’s navy, but not now. At present Canada had 175 ships and 15,000 men to man them. Within a year, it was hoped that there would be 413 battleships and 27,000 men to man them.

Canada’s war effort in the supply of military units ami planes was also very extensive, said Dr. Riddell. Included in the contribution was a complete armoured division which had been sent overseas, and that was merely part, of Canada’s war effort. Speaking on behalf of the fighting services, Colonel 11. E. Avery said that 1; was only by close co-operation' between the Army, the Navy and the Air Force that victory could be ensured. That co-operation had been fully illustrated in the evacuation of Dunkirk. M. A. Nihotte, Belgium Consul in New Zealand, thanked the chamber of commerce for the invitation extended to representatives of the consular services.