GOOD JOB BY N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 25 November 1944, Page 5

GOOD JOB BY N.Z.

SUPPLY FOR U.S. FORCES Mr Roosevelt’s Report [Aust. & N.Z. Press Association] (Rec. 11.40) WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 President Roosevelt made a report to Congress on lend-lease operations.' He said: New Zealand and Australia are devoting 18 per cent, of their total war budgets to paying the cost of their reverse lend-lease programme for the United States forces. For the Philipoines campaign and for other island operations, one of the most vital supply responsibilities undertaken by Australia and New' Zealand for the United States forces has been the production of. thirtv-six and a half million dollais worth of landing craft, barges, tug-, boats and other craft, essential to the successful prosecution of an amphibious campaign over thousands oi miles of ocean. By June, 1944 wmeh was well in time to meet General MacArthur’s needs for the invasion of the Philippines, 9500 of these craft had already been delivered un-’ dev reverse lend-lease. The United States has received from Australia an.-i New Zealand about one billion eight hundred and fifty million Pounds of food for the American forces in the Pacific theatre. The food received from the two countries includes more than five million pounds of beef and other meats. New Zealand has made a great effort to increase the production of other foodstuffs, including fresh vegetables, solely to meet the United States' requirements. More than five thousand acres of pasture land has been, taken over bv the New Zealand Agri-, culture Department, and transformed,, into market gardens, producing up tofour and a-half million pounds of' fresh vegetables each month for the United States, New Zealand and Allien armed forces. Quantities of clothing received on reverse lendlease from New Zealand include two hundred and forty-two million Army blankets, six hundred and seventyfive thousand pairs of socks, twentyfive thousand leather field jackets,, and more than fifteen thousand gloves. New Zealand alone has pro-, videa. the United States Army withsix thousand tents, and nearly fifty thousand mattresses and other--articles, of bed clothing. New Zea-, land provided hospital beds mainly, ■ and especially .constructed and equipped hospitals for no fewer than 8009 United States servicemen at a time, when the accommodation in the Do--minion for civilians, in both public, ana private hospitals totalled thir-. teen thousand beds. As further re-' verse lend-lease contributions, more, than 500 ships have been repaired ■ and refitted in New Zealand without cost to the United States.

The total monetary value to the United Kingdom of its reverse lendlease aid to the United States from June 1, 1942 to June 30. 1944, has now risen to 2,437.062,000 dollars.

The reverse lend-lease by Australia, New Zealand and India un to June 30, 1944 amounted to 911,065,000 dollars.