Fraser Tells U.S. Of Our Proud War Effort

Northern Advocate, 24 April 1944, Page 3

Fraser Tells U.S. Of Our Proud War Effort

(8.0rW.) RUGBY, April 23. “On the advice of combined chiefs-of-staff of United States and United Kingdom, New Zealand is to arrange temporarily for a number of suitable men from the armed forces to arrest the decline in food production which threatens to have worlcLwide implications, and also effect substantial increases.” The Prime Minister of New Zealand (Hon. P. Fraser) made this statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“New Zealand is a farming country. She is one of the chief food exporting countries of the world. Soldiers and civilians in Britain are dependent on New Zealand foodstuffs, so are largely the United States forces in the South Pacific and so will be the people of occupied countries. But after four and a-half years of extensive war effort, New Zealand has reached a stage where production is declining and she is not able to fulfil the demands for foodstuffs placed upon her. She is in this position mainly through manpower difficulties. Shortage of farm equipment and lack of fertilisers are also contributing causes.”

World-Wide Achievements

Mr. Fraser assessed the magnitude of New Zealand’s manpower contribution to the war effort. This should be compared with that of every other Allied nation.

“New Zealand has mobilised armed forces on a scale equivalent to a United States army of 13,000,000 and a home force of 8,000,000. Only 39,000 of the total fit population have been withheld from military service and these only in key industries. “These forces have suffered exceedingly heavy casualties. New Zealanders have been in the war since 1939. They fired the first shots in Greece, they were in Crete, they were in the spearhead of every North African campaign, they were on the Anzio front and with the Eighth Army, they are among the troops who have borne the bruot of the recent Cassino fighting. “In the Pacific, under Admiral Halsey, they captured the Treasury Islands and Green Island and completed occupation of Vella Lavella in the Solomons. “The record of the R.N.Z.A.F. in Europe is well known. Our units in the Pacific were among the first to operate from Henderson Feld, Guadalcanal. and they have been in action in the South Pacific ever since. In the Pacific our Navy has also played its full part. Heaviest Casualties ■‘New Zealand casualties have been, in proportion, greater than those of any other United Nation except probably Russia. One in every 143 of the population fias been killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner. This is equivalent to a casualty figure for the United States of over 2,000,000.” Mr. Fraser said, in conclusion, that men transferred from the forces to industry would be placed on leave. They would remain under military command and would be liable to be recalled for active service at any time.