"WILL NOT FALTER"

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 56, 4 September 1945, Page 4

"WILL NOT FALTER"

BRITISH PEOPLE

A STATE LUNCHEON

"The war is over, but there is little casement in toil, little let-up in shortages, little increase in amenities in sight for Britain's folk. But British folk will not falter. They will march manfully on. Though the future has few treats in store for them, believe me, it has no terrors," stated Sir Patrick Duff, United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand, at a State luncheon given in his honour yesterday. Sir Patrick said it was from such a Britain that he brought a message of greeting. It was from such a Britain that he brought a message of pride in New Zealand's achievements, m the renown of her armies, in her constancy when exposed to threats of similar peril, in the production she achieved on her home front. It was from such a Britain that he brought a message of confidence in the service which the British Commonwealth and Empire could offer to "humanity if the Empire family marched hand in hand. BRITISH PEOPLE'S TRIALS. "I have just come from England, where, apart from what the United Kingdom troops have done on every front in all the world, tremendous things have been endured and dared by the whole civilian population." said Sir Patrick. "Sixty thousand civilians have been killed, 86,000 have been maimed. Apart from the mortal perils of enemy action, they have suffered years of grinding toil, of rationing, of black-out, of shortages of every kind, without diversions, with little transport, with billeting, with removals. Owing to clearance of coastal areas, of dispersion of factories, of the need to make room for American armies, and |to provide for a jumping-off place for D Day, 22,500,000 removals of civilians have taken place. These things may sound small at a distance, or if they don't last for long. But when month runs into month and weary year into weary year, the burden of them, as resistance grows thinner, is hard to j imagine." I Welcoming Sir Patrick, the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) referred to the High Commissioner's distinguished career in the British Civil Service, mentioning the fact that Sir Patrick had served at No. 10 Downing Street for 10 years under seven differei.i Prime Ministers. Later, as head of the Ministry of Works., he had been responsible for the extensive and complicated housing of various Government departments evacuated from London at the outbreak of war to various parts of the United Kingdom, and also for the accommodation of evacuees from abroad and from London during the blitz of 1940. Mr. Fraser mentioned, too, the great popularity which Sir Patrick and Lady Duff had gained by their work in Canada during the period Sir Patrick was deputy High Commissioner under Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald.

The splendid record of Sir Harry Batterbee, the first High Commissioner in New Zealand, during the war years and before was also referred to by the Prime Minister. He assured Sir Patrick that he would be warmly welcomed wherever he went in New Zealand, and he was sure that Sir Patrick would realise that he was among friends devoted to the ideals, of British democracy and intensely loyal to their kinsfolk and ready to assist and co-operate with Britain in the future as they bad been in the past. After thanking the Prime Minister for his welcome, Sir Patrick said he had been very lucky to come after his old friend and colleague, Sir Harry Batterbee. "If my wife and I meet with such kindness in New Zealand as we have had from all we have met hitherto, we are very sensible that we owe it in great measure to the work and to the personalities of Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee, who have been with you through all the testing years of war," added Sir Patrick. '