DEFEAT OF GERMANY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 135, 9 May 1945, Page 2

DEFEAT OF GERMANY

PREMIER'S MESSAGE

TRIBUTE TO PEOPLE

(Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, May. 8. The following message addressed to the people of New Zealand and members of the Armed Forces from the Priino Minister (Mr Eraser) at San Francisco has been received by the Acting-Prime- Minister: — "On the announcement of the cessation of hostilities in Europe I extend to the people of N<jw Zealand a message of sincere congratulation, and I express the thankfulness wo all feel in the accomplishment of the task ot defeating Germany to which wo set our hand five and a half years ago. New Zea'land can look back with great pride and satisfaction to her part in the destruction of the forces of .fascism and Nazism. "This world war more than any other has been a struggle of the people in which individual men and women ot the United Nations have contributed to the utmost of their resources ot manpower, material and determination to defend their liberties. The people of New Zealand have a war record of. sacrifice and toil and achievement which is second to none. "Within the Dominion our men and women have throughout proved themselves willing to contribute everything within the power of their hands and their minds to the successful achievement of the task of. overthrowing the Nazi and Fascist Powers. To all ot them is due a share of our pride in this great victorv. "The deep gratitude of all of us goes out to the thousands of men and women who went from our own shores to meet the enemy, and today in the midst of our reioicing we grieve lor those who will never return, and we renew our pledge to do all in outpower to assist those who have returned and to assist the dependants of all those men who so nobly served our country, THE HIGHEST PRICE.

"We cannot let this momentous daygo by without pausing to remember in sadness, tempered by gratitude and respect, all those New Zealanders who laid down their lives that this victory might he ours. I should like to express my most heartfelt sympathy with their next-of-kin and to assure them that our country wil'l never forget the <.tr»i it owes to the sons and husbands and fathers and friends whose willingness to defend our freedom cost them the highest price of all. "I take this opportunity of paying a tribute to all our Allies j;rcat and small, particularly the United States and Russia, because of the decisive part they have played in so overwhelmingly defeating; our enemies, and above all to the forces and steadfast people of Britain. For no other of the United Nations has this moment a greater significance, and for no other docs itmark a greater triumph of the will and devotion of a' people. "The tasks that still lie before us are heavy and they are set clearly in lrout of us—the prosecution with more vigour than ever of the war against Japan, the rehabilitation of our returning men and women, and the part we must play in restoring normal conditions in liberated territory and the completion of the efforts we are now making to ensure that the peace which our victories are bringing to the world is held fast for all time."