N.Z. MISSION

Grey River Argus, 23 February 1942, Page 5

N.Z. MISSION

IN AUSTRALIA TO LINK DEFENCES Lesson of Darwin [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.J (Rec. 1.0.) SYDNEY, Feb. 22. Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Rt. Hon. J. G Coates and New Zealand Service Chiefs have arrived here from the Dominion this afternoon They entrained to-night for Canberra, where they will discuss, with the Federal Cabinet, mutual problems of defence and supply. They will also consider additional means of co-ordinating New Zealand and Australian resources. Mr Sullivan said: "We have come here to range ourselves alongsidle of the Australian Government and its people, and to see if we can link up our forces and resources in a way that will produce the best results. “We have no doubt whatever that the people of Australia and the people of New Zealand will meat the challenge of the moment with the same courage and spirit that have characterised the Anzac forces, not only in the present war, but in the 1914-18 war 1 also.”

Mr. Coates said: The present threat to Australia is ' equally a threat to New Zealand. The Japanese attack on Darwin could not have had a more profound effect on the New Zealand neople if it .had been oart of New Zealand that had been bombed. This it not the time to ventiliate political differences, or to raise side issues. The only thing that matters is to prepare and implement the most effective measures for meeting the challenge. It is the duty of all of us to get into line, and to back un our national leaders to the utmost.