Mischievous Story, Says Mr. Fraser

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 55, 6 March 1943, Page 5

Mischievous Story, Says Mr. Fraser

WELLINGTON, Mar. 5. When asked to comment to-night on the Chicago Tribune’s editorial on tho alleged construction by New Zealand of airfields under lend-lease, the Prime Minister characterised the charge as completely false and fantastic. “As I have already stated,” said Mr. Fraser, “and as Mr. Nash is making clear in America, the 105 airfields in New Zealand to which so much erroneous reference has been made, wore constructed before the war broke out in 1930, and entirely with New Zealand’s funds. Not one of the half-dozen additional airfields constructed since that date, or the dozen or so which have been altered, some at t'he request of United States authorities to enable them to be used for military purposes by our own and perhaps by United States air forces, have been made subject to any lend-lease charge. “I would like to make it entirely clear New Zealand has neither attempted to take nor will take under any circumstances, any unfair advantage of the generous provisions of American aid. As recently indicated at Washington New Zealand has already made available in large measure, aid to United States under reciprocal lend-lease and undertaken to increase this to the fullest practicable extent. From the start of the war, New Zealand pledged full resources in men and materials and representatives of the Allied nations have frequently generously acknowledged that the pledge has been faithfully carried out. I would like to make it perfectly clear that there is no British airline using New Zealand airfields and consequently the charge that British airlines, furnished with American planes and American gasolene through lend-lease, are so operating, is as baseless and mischievous as the remainder of the Tribune’s story. ’ ’