VITAL SUPPLIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 4

VITAL SUPPLIES

•NAVIES IN PACIFIC U.S. ADMIRAL’S APPEAL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 8. The influence of the food supplies from New Zealand on future operations in the Pacific, was emphasised by Vice-Admiral J. H. Newton, United States Navy commander in the South Pacific area and of a South Pacific force, in a message read by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, at the State luncheon yesterday in honour of the commander-in-chief of the British, Pacific Fleet, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser. The message received from ViceAdmiral Newton was as follows: “It is, vitallv necessai'y that all food commitments for the supply of the armed forces in the Pacific be carried out as scheduled and planned. The operations in the Pacific count on the food supply of New Zealand being maintained at its present high standard and any reduction will seriously interfere with the war effort," Before reading Vice-Admiral Newton’s message the Prime Minister had given a warning against the danger of complacency or any slackening in the country’s war effort. He said that, because the Russians, were in East Prussia, because our troops on the Western Front were penetrating into Germany, because the Japanese were I being sweat back and because of the advances in Burma, there was a dan- I ger that our people, through over-con-udence and through a sense of victory attained, would begin to think there was nothing more to be done. There: could be no greater danger. | "The war is not over," said the Prime Minister, "and there is still a! long, weary and bloody road to travel., There is much work to be done and we must make it a point of honour that we do not fail at any time.” | Admiral Fraser remarked that after! hearing Vice-Admiral Newton’s mes- ’ sage he hoped that a little bit of the produce would come to him.