"THREAT ENDED"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 144, 15 December 1942, Page 4

"THREAT ENDED"

AUSTRALIA AND N.Z.

U.S. BRIGADIER'S VIEW

Though the Allied control pr the South Pacific meant an enii to the Japanese threat towards New le& land and Australia, tfterf was stall a gigantic task ahead requirln|f nothing lew thMl^ttie afiipiuJi maximum effort by roe Allied nations, said a brigadier of the United States Marine Corps, represented the commanding officer at the Christmas luncheon given to officers of the Marine CerPS 994 the United States Navy at tfce> Grand Hotel yesterday by the A.I.F. Association pf Es-lervicemen (Wellington branch). The recent efforts of the Allied forces/"in the Pacific had brought a feeling of confidence to the people, he continued, but it would still require a tremendous effort to bring them safely through the turbulent waters of war to the haven of peace. The luncheon was given as a marl* of good will arid esteem and as a gesture of admiration o| the part playeit by the United States forces ip all theatre? of war. The brigadier said that he and other United States officers and members of the A.I.F. Association present who were veterans o* World war 1 always had something m common, if it were nothing mpre than "we licked fbeml£(st time and we'll do it again--AMERICAN AID. The'chairman, Mr. H. Richards, said that the magnificent aid given to Australia and New Zealand would never be "fully realised, till the full story of the war was told- In a small way their gathering that day was an. example of the "effect "of such fud> .Without }t they would not have beep able to mee|| with suqh freedom from anxiety a? they now enjoyed. lie hoped that the brotherhood of arms in which , Australia, New Zealand, and. the rest of the British Empire were now. engaged with "the United States would ~ cpp* tihiie a brotherhood in peace. There had been misunderstandings in the past on both sides, due largely to. lack of knowledge of each other, but the meeting of " such large, numbers o* Upite4~States seryicemen with servieemeri apd members of the puplie in thfi various British Empire epuritries jp. which United States forces were pre* §erit should help them to know ' and, understand "each other better.

"The Australian Trade Commissioner Mr. J. L. Merizies, "said" that* the ties oi friendship between the United States and Australia had been very good and had developed to some extent during the last. war. The Australian Conr Stitution was very sunijar to that of the United States apd the two coup?., tries had many like ideals apd ideas juid much the same outlook 'bp life generally, EACH GUEST DECORATED. Each United States guest was decorated with the "Order of the Kangaroo.'* The chairman said it was the first tima * anywhere or any place that the order had been conferred. It consisted of a leather miniature reproduction of a kangaroo. A light orchestra of members of the Marine Corps Band played, for the .< luncheon and for the community sing, in which the feature item was "Waltzing Matilda." the sepg beipg set out op a gheet so illustrated that the visi-? tors W9U.ld be able tq follow 'the Ail?* traliah terms. sVsr. T. H, &shtbn, association secre? tary, had charge of the arrangements.