The Dominion THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1944. AN UNPLEASANT CONTRAST

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 121, 17 February 1944, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1944. AN UNPLEASANT CONTRAST

Two items of news published yesterday afford 'a contrast that must have caused deep regret to very many people. They were as follows: — There is danger regarding the Following a dispute on Monday, possibility of maintaining the watersiders working an overseas British meat and dairy produce ship at Wellington ceased work at rations of 1/2 worth of meat, 2oz. 2.30 that afternoon, and the vessel of butter and 3oz. of cheese a continued idle since then. week. The first statement was made by the leader of the British food mission to Australia’ and New Zealand, and he added that Great Britain could definitely supply ships to transport the foodstuffs, if it could be produced. Certain factors, some quite beyond the power of the Dominion, to control, have had an adverse effect on production, but that, surely,, makes it all the more important that what is produced should be shipped without delay. The need is imperative and nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of the Dominion doing its utmost to meet it. That applies all along the line, from the point of production to the delivery at some British port, and, however judged, no factor can be of greater importance than such a vital part of the national effort. It admittedly is more difficult, in a country fortunate enough to enjoy immunity from the devastating material effects of war, to see things in their correct perspective. The realization of what the maintenance of supplies means is driven home when enemy aircraft' come with their loads of bombs, or damaged ships at last reach port The war is there and its effects visible, the destruction is obvious and the value of supplies needs no emphasis. There in the thick of the struggle civilian workers adopt the same view as the fighting units, which isthat the rations must get through, casualties or no casualties. And the same spirit should animate everybody all. along the line. The urgency of the need is the paramount consideration, and other things must just give way to it. The position could be seen more clearly if ( people safely outside the war zones would, for a few moments, put I themselves in the place of those either fighting or working within range of guns or bombs. What would they, then think if rations, already terribly small, had to be reduced because of delay in ship-' ments from this source of supply? Would it seem sufficient then to explain that some alleged working privilege had been withdrawn or some unsatisfactory decision given? Food to enable the people of the Mother Country to continue their wonderful war tasks is surely more important than a rigid insistence on peace-time practices in indurtry and the adoption of methods which may imperil the food supples reaching their destination with the utmost possible speed.