NAVY LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 281, 24 August 1944, Page 4

NAVY LEAGUE

War Council Meets The hope that, before the present year ends, the purposes for which the N.Z. Navy League War Council exists-wnl have been fulfilled, was expressed by the chairman of the council. Mr. I'. M. Charters. speaking at the annual meeting tn Wellington yesterday. “We meet this morning under. the happiest auspices so far in the history of the council.” he said. “A tremendous amount has been achieved since the last meeting, and we can now say that victory is actually with us.” The German armies of occupation in France were being completely outflanked, and. with the additional landings in southern France and the activities of the Maquis, their position was becoming untenable. It could only be a matter of weeks till the Germans were expelled from French soil, and then the end of the war, at least in Europe, would be lust at the end of the street. As far as the Pacific was concerned, one could look forward with a keen sense of fairly early victory. There would be a rapid acceleration of pressure against the Japanese, and he thought that what was left of their navy, after Allied forces had closed in from east and west, would be able to be “put in a paper bag.” Mr. Charters paid a tribute to the United States Navy, which, he said, had done an excellent job and earned their unqualified thanks and appreciation.