NAVY LEAGUE WAR COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 4, 30 September 1943, Page 6

NAVY LEAGUE WAR COUNCIL

Addressed By Sir Cyril Newall LONG ROAD AHEAD TO VICTORY ‘•q'tie news nt the moment is icrj, very good—in fact, so good that there is a little danger of our 'becoming accustomed to news of victories and st l *-- cesses. It is therefore necessary .for us to make a conscious effort to realize that, though the war is going well, alK b thank God, will continue to go well, the road ahead Is long and not altogether straight and smooth.” This warning was given by the GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyril Newall, addressing the third annual meeting of the New Zealand Navy League War Council in Wellington yesterday. He urged that the excellent workbeing done for seafaring men under the auspices of the council should be continued without relaxation. “We have got to keep at it,’’ he said. “We must not think that all is over bar the shouting. It is not, by a long way.” There might be victories and lulls in the fighting of most services, but the work of the navy and the merchant navy went' on day and night for 365 days in the year. The battle of the navy was different from that of the sister services an'd did not receive the same amount of publicity. The navy was known as the silent service, and the nature of its work perhaps was not such as to be always attractive to correspondents. Nevertheless it went on continuously, quietly and efficiently, and the Navy League could usefully help to spread a knowledge of that work so that the people would not forget what the sailors of the navy and the merchant navy were doing for them. “Wc hear of a diminution in the number of sinkings of our shins and of ail increase in the sinkings of submarines.”' his Excellency continued. • “That is very gratifying; but we must remember that wo arc fighting a ruthless, skilled and ingenious enemy. Though there may be lulls in the number of sinkings and though submarines may be diverted from time to time there will be a recrudescence.” New attacks, new methods of attack and no doubt new weapons of offence Against Allied ships were being evolved by the enemy, find they would have to be mastered by scientists and sailors. “Aleantiine,” said bis Excellency, “we must do our utmost to give the sailors of the Navy and the Alerchant Navy all the support wc can possibly muster and to relieve their burdens by the provision of comforte and in any other possible way.” Sea Cadets. Continuing, his Excellency said that he was delighted to see the development of the Sea Cadets, a movement which was very strong in England. A corps had been started in Auckland and he had recently visited the boys nt -Lainaki. . He hoped that the movement would continue to develop and multiply in all centres. Now that it 'had official recognition it should sail straight ahead. Remarking that it was an excellent idea for the Navy League to present flags to schools’ where the children had attained a certain percentage of membership of the league, his Excellency said that, if circumstances permitted, he would be delighted to go to any school to present a flag which had been won. Welcoming his Excellency, the chairman of the council. Major 1. M. Charters, Canterbury, said that activities for the time being were all directed to one end —the care of the comfort and welfare ot the men of the Navy and the Alerchant Navy The women’s section of the Aavy League, with hundreds of helpers, was doing excellent work and continued to increase in vigour and appreciation of its purpose. The New Zealand Sea Cadets, started in 1928, were flourishing and were receiving a thorough and practical training under keen, experienced officers. The cadets had received official recognition from the Navy Board; Canterbury had been appointed the r , controlling body and corps had been formed in wellington and Auckland. Provision had beenmade for a permanent training centre at Quail Island, where cadets from other centres could attend for training in their vacations. Buildings costing from xbUO to £9OO were well on the way to completion. . , , • Later in the meeting the chairman expressed appreciation of the co-operation received from the National Patriotic 1-und Board during the year. Mr. A. Sutherland. who represented the board, replied.