BRITAIN WITHIN

Grey River Argus, 3 June 1942, Page 1

BRITAIN WITHIN

RESTRICTIONS AND RIVALRIES. LONDON, June .4. ’ Increasing “austerity” the coal' dispute, and party politics, are among the main features of topical comment in Britain to-day. The demand for a second front is still active, but somewhat mollified by the statements here and also in America. Austerity measures include the tightening up of the rules for clothing, hotel meals, laying up private cars, standardisation, wherever possitfie of fifty-two hour week for industrial workers, and forty-six hour week for office staffs, also a warning to the public that travelling will shortly be curtailed and non-essen-tial journeys cut out. From June 1, the manufacture is ceasing of lace curtains, with a great reduction in such things as felt hats, cloth caps, and mattresses.. Shoes will be patched instead of re-soled and heeled. All these indicate growing shortages and also Britain’s determination to put everything into the war effort. Party politics came into the limelight last week during the Labour Party’s annual conference, which showed that Labour is by no means comfortable in its associatom with the ether elements in the National Government. It is also uneasy regarding the political truce, feeung for one thing that Independents have been getting into Parliament on Labour views. It is this keenness of political parties to preserve their identities which forms the background of much of the criticism of Mr Churchill. The Conservatives expect him to remember that he leads the party, in addition to the nation. Labour looks to him to proclaim a people’s peace. One of the chief things New Zealanders would do well to bear in mind is the fact that none of the internal differences of opinion affects the country’s determination to defeat Nazism. If proof is needed of this spirit and ability, it is unnecessary to look further than the 1000 plane raid on Cologne, which symbolises not only Britain’s determinate on, but her steadily-growing power, the result of the colossal war effort, which in some respects may still be said to be negotiating its adolescence.