THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. THURSDAY MARCH 6, 1947. New Zealand's Gift To Britain

Northern Advocate, 6 March 1947, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a Newspaper. THURSDAY MARCH 6, 1947. New Zealand's Gift To Britain

There will he few to criticise the Government for its decision to make, on behalf of New Zealand, a gift of £19.000,000 sterling (£12,500,000 in New Zealand currency) to Great Britain. If there be any criticism, it will take the form of a wish that a bigger gift could have been made. However, a gesture which we are confident will be appreciated by the Motherland will do much to hearten the people of sorely tried Britain. They will have reason to believe that New Zealand is not insensible to the debt it owes a people whose heroism and indomitable spirit in time of unprecedented stress made possible the Allied victory in the Second World War. New Zealand’s gift, in conjunction with a gift by Australia of £20,000,000 sterling (£25,000,000 Australian currency) will serve the further purpose—and perhaps the greatest of all in the light of world conditions at the present time —of proving that the units of the Empire, free to do as they wish individually, arc bound together by invisible but unbreakable ties, and ready when need arises to rally round the parent from whom they all have sprung. It should he remembered that other units of the Empire, notably Canada, have made, since the war, great financial gestures demonstrative of the oneness of the Empire. So long as this spirit prevails the Mother Country may well ignore offers of other peoples to adopt her or to provide her with a room in tiie poorhuse. Very desirable it is that this unity of British sentiment- and purpose should be impressed upon the world, and New Zealand has once again taken a line of action in this regard which is distinctly to be welcomed. Apart altogether from the question of sentiment, the spirit of selfpreservation demands that the units of the Empire should do everything possible to assist Britain during this critical period of her history. It cannot be too forcibly impressed upon New Zealanders, for instance, that the phrase used by the late Mr Savage at the outbreak of the Second World War, "Where Britain goes we go.” is equally applicable in the economic sphere, for with truth it may be said that our prosperity depends upon the prosperity of Britain, a fact which would lie brought home to us in uncomfort-

able fashion if Britain were unable to extricate herself from her present troubles. This is a matter which affects every individual, and it behoves ml sections of the community in the Dominion to buckle-to in a spirit of earnestness to_ help Britain by increasing the production of the foodstuffs she urgently requires, and, while purchasing as large a quantity of manufactured goods as Britain may have to spare, refrain from demanding priority in regard to goods Britain may need to sell to foreign customers not so easily held as New Zealanders should be. Britain urgently needs assistance at the present time, for she is carrying a burden of debt incurred while holding the fort pending the preparation by other allies to share in the war against Germany, and. what is worse, she was forced to dispose of overseas securities in order to finance her war effort. This left hot in a very embarrassing position, to remedy which the Government sanctioned greater consumption of coal in order to resume peacetime manufacturing and export than time proved was justified. Manufacturng demands made severe inroads upon coal stocks, but in view of the fact that miners greatly increased output, there was just a chance that Britain would be able to continue her manufacturing effort. But. as though fortune had not already dealt sufficient blows, the coldest and wildest winter experienced for over half a century prevented the distribution of coal which was being mined in record quantity, thus not only causing domestic misery, but stopping the factories whose products it was hoped would help Britain to pay her way. Dark though the clouds may be at the moment. Britain will again enjoy sunshine if the people of the Empire are true to themselves.

This suggests that in addition to the gift which the Government of New Zealand has made, and the intensified effort which primary industry should make, the people of the Dominion should again manifest the spirit that provided New Zealand Spitfires to take part in the Battle of Britain. A similar campaign today would undoubtedly make available a large sum as a gift from New Zealanders as a whole. This or a similar movement should be started without delay.