TO FIGHT JAPAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 123, 26 May 1945, Page 8

TO FIGHT JAPAN

N.Z. LAND FORCE

STATEMENT BY MR. NASH

P.A. HAMILTON, May 25. Referring to the future use of the New Zealand military forces, the Acting Prime Minister, Mr. Nash, said today that the indications were that a small land force would be required, but not in any way approximate to the numbers which <Jew Zealand had contributed towards the war against Germany.

Mr. Nash was commenting on reports in the Press addressed to him by the chairman of the Dairy Board, -Mr. Hale, the chairman of the Meat Board, M.\ Grigg, and the Acting Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Poison, on the subject of man-power. "The facts of the present position have already been cleaily set out to both Mr. Hale and to Mr. Grigg," Mr. Nash said. "Since 1943 the number of men working on the Jand has increased by more than 10,000. A number in excess of 4000 have been taken off the farms, but more than 14,000 have been returned.

"The present plans proyide for reinforcements up, it is anticipated, to the tenth to return to New Zealand at the earliest moment at which shipping can be made available, without interference with the deployment of forces to take up the war against Japan. On the present evidence 20,000 men will be coming back to New Zealand as soon as the shipping can be provided. This is in addition to all our prisoners of war, numbering between 6000 and 7000. "With these added numbers available for farm and other work, do Messrs. Poison and Grigg and Hale think that we should still refrain from the calling up of further men and devote our manpower resources to the production of food? Of course we will devote our time to the production of food, and while it is not expected that every man I that can be brought back again from overseas with experience of farm work o- primary production will go back to j his farm or the work that he was engaged in before, it is expected that the numbers available for farm work will exceed any figure that was contemplated before the great success m Europe. ! "The responsibility is very clear that our work as a nation at the present time is to take our part with | Australia, with Great Britain, and ! with the other members of the British Commonwealth to see that the Japanese are defeated at the earliest possible moment, and, with the men coming back that I mentioned, the I remainder will be so organised as to make New Zealand's contribution as effective in the future as it has been in the past. "I am now able to say that the report of the Chiefs of Staff in Britain on the i contribution that they felt New Zealand should particularly make has been received and is under the examination 'of General Freyberg and the (Prime Minister, and after decision by the War Cabinet a full statement of the Government proposals will be submitted to Parliament and the public." i