VOICE FOR N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1944, Page 2

VOICE FOR N.Z.

In Peace Settlement WELLINGTON, Feb 24. In his speech at the opening oi Parliament the Governor Genera : stated: “As one of the United Na- , tions, New Zealand x has assumed heavy and important responsibilitie ’ which must be borne to the lull ' until final victory is won. in the • ultimate settlement of peace, the ' effective voice that. New Zealand desires, , and is entitled, to raise will undoubtedly depend m a large measure, not only on the contributions and the sacrifices already made in the common cause, but also upon the heavy burdens which it is found possible to maintain during the remaing course of the war While sustaining its military effort to the maximum extent, it is essential that New Zealand should, at the same time collaborate with the . other United Nations, and, in Particular, with members of the Butish Com mdnwealth, in all plans for the a - tainment of final victory, and ioi the preparations for peace. Theie has been the closest consultation on all of these matters with the United Kingdom and with the other Dominion Governments, and my Pnme Minister will shortly attend a conference in London for the purpose /of exchanging views with other Prime Ministers of the British Commonwealth on matters of common interest. . . ~ “Of greater significance for the more speedy defeat of the enemy and for the possibility of a lasting peace have been the recent momentous conferences between the leaders of the great United Nations at Cairo and Teheran. These meetings were preceded in .Moscdw by that of the Foreign Secretaries of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the United' States of America, which fore-shadowed the establishment of an international organisation of all i peace-loving nations to maintain! peace and security in the post-war' period, and paved the way for still i more authoritative meetings between • the heads of the three Governments, i For the first time the great leaders j met face to face, and made common cause. At the Cairo conference, far-reaching decisions were made covering the prosecution of the war against Japan, and a declaration was issued denoting the intention of the Allied powers to deprive Japan of the territories she had acquired by aggression. Plans for the joint conduct of the war against Germany during the coming year were concentrated at Teheran, and ’ decisions made which will bring- it to a speedier conclusion. In these and other international discussions, my Government have been kept advised, and have whenever necessary, stated their views. It has, in fact, been their constant aim to ensure that New Zealand shall participate to the full as. a Sovereign power in the discussions and plans for the re-ordering of world affairs': My Government have participated in a number of international conferences directed towards world reconstruction, and on the 9th November, 1943, signed the agreement providing for the establishment of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Arrangements are being made for the representation of this Dominion at the conference of the International Labour Office to be held in the United States of America in April next. The question of New Zealand’s participation in discussions relating to post-war international economic collaboration has been constantly under review. In their study of proposals relating to international monetary and exchange control, and questions of post-war commercial policy, my Ministers regard it as essential that a high level of employment in all countries should be a fundamental condition .of better standards of living throughout the world. They trust that it will be possible to obtain an international agreement to pursue all countries domestic policies aimed at full employment, and to this end it is proposed to advocate and support in the transition period from war to peace such forms of international economic collaboration las should make it unnecessary for countries to adopt policies of agressive economic nationalism. ANZAC PACT It affords me particular pleasure to refer to the continued close and happy relationships existing between the peoples of Australia and New Zealand, who in the common peril of the war in the Pacific, have been brought together as never before. As a result of ,the discussions held last month in Canberra, in which my Government was represented by a delegation headed by, my Prime Minister, there have been embodied in an agreement principles of permanent co-operation between the countries, both for the present and for the post-war period. The agreement between the two Governments and the provision of permanent machinery for consultation should be of great mutual benefit. The holding of this conference, and the agreement resulting therefrom, _ are a logical development of principles of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the membership of which is in the very forefront of the policy of this Dominion. I am convinced that,' as a result, New Zealand will be enabled to play a progressive and useful part ‘in improving, not only the lot of our own peoples, but of all the people in the Pacific, and will take her full share in the preservation of the future peace of the world.