CALL FOR UNITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 206, 1 August 1941, Page 6

CALL FOR UNITY

CITY BUSINESSMAN’S VIEWS. Speaking to the assembled member: of the staff of Messrs. Goldingham am . Beckett, Ltd., to-day, Mr F. S. Gold r ingham, the managing-director ot tin i firm, referred to the need for unity it - -New Zealand, with the paramount aim f °f furthering the Dominion’s war ef- . iort. Mr Goldingham remarked that . Hie “Victory VV’ were to be seen . everywhere, but unity was an esseti- . tial part of the way to victory. As an . expression of the will toward unity, ! Mr Goldingham has had prepared a > large Hag with the word “Unity” : Plainly designed thereon, and it is being flown from the flag-staff on the firm’s premises. , “My reason for arranging to fly the flag,” said Mr Goldingham in addressing the staff to-day;" is that I have been appalled at the divergence of opinions in the war effort by the general public and also as expressed in Parliament now sitting. “I belong to no political party, but have leanings toward the social reform platform of the Labour Government—particularly as to their effort in providing houses for the workers. On this subject I would like to recall the address given by King Edward VIII, to -ouO architects at their centenary dinner at the Guildhall. An extract of: what he said is as follows:—‘That is no other way of raising the standard of living, than by mass production of houses’ I am afraid this appeal fell on deaf ears, but be svas right. Ini Wellington alone there are over 7000 houses, out of 29,000, reported on as! unsatisfactory. Here surely is a basis i of political thought for both the La- 1 boar Party and the National Party to unite on, and this would lead to united [ war effort as flic bousing problem would be the basis of unity. Many: soldiers will come back, and those who married shortly before going overseas' will want homos. Some 30.000 extra homes are required. I am partly qualified to give an opinion, as on a visit to Australia in 1917-18 I prepared a very comprehensive report on the Australian repatriation scheme for the New Zealand Government. “In a free country like this there 1 must bo naturally great divergence of political thought, but in war time we must have united effort. In tile 30 to 40 organisations I am connected with I want united effort, and I want you all to help by propaganda, which I know has a tremendous effect in unity

thought. In war time, whatever wc think, we must support the Govern merit. To be loyal, it is ‘My Country, Bight or Wrong’. We see the ‘Victory VV everywhere, but must have unity to have victory.”