THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY MARCH 13, 1948. Lessons Of The Cape York's Visit

Northern Advocate, 13 March 1948, Page 6

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY MARCH 13, 1948. Lessons Of The Cape York's Visit

The visit to Whangarei .of the overseas steamer Cape York promises to have good results, indirect as well as direct. This is to be deduced from observations made at an informal gathering of happy character held yesterday evening when officers and crew of the big vessel were entertained. Speakers representative of various local body, business and shipping interests expressed the opinion that the Cape York's visit and the satisfactory rate at which her cargo of North African phosphates has been discharged, had significance in more than one respect. In the first place, as the Advocare pointed out when the ship was safely berthed at the Kioreroa wharf, the visit demonstrated Whangarei’s possession of a deep-water harbour capable of accommodating overseas ships of substantial size, and which, when adequate wharf amenities are installed, will allow of the speedy and economic distribution of cargo to all parts of Northland. These are considerations of vital importance to what is destined to become one of the most productive divisions of the Dominion. While the provision of cranes, sheds and other requirements of an up-to-date harbour has yet to be effected, the harbour possesses the fundamental requirement of a good harbour —deep water and ample manoeuvring space. Without 1 this fundamental asset, wharf and shed facilities would be 6f little use: hence the gratification the district can derive from the Cape York’s visit, for, the existence of a deep-water port having again been demonstrated, the provision of cargohandling facilities may be undertaken in proper sequence. A particularly pleasing feature of speeches delivered at yesterday s convivial function was the tribute

paid to the watersiders engaged in discharging the Cape York’s cargo. The fact that the hourly output was double that registered on the Auckland waterfront, and that no unpleasantness of any kind marred operations, is a matter upon which the men engaged in unloading operations are to be congratulated. It is an indisputable fact that the majority of men engaged in industry of any kind are actuated by a desire not only to promote the welfare of themselves and their families, but promote the welfare of the community of which they form part, and that they have little sympathy with the minority who refuse to pull their weight and who try to arouse discontent and industrial confusion.

The paramount need of libertyloving peoples today is for all sections of communities to do those things for the good of individual and State which each has the opportunity to do.

Needless to say, some sections have greater opportunity than others to make a contribution to the only way by which subversive propaganda can be countered.

The struggle to preserve liberty must be waged along positive, not negative lines, and those who have it in their power to make the democratic way of life obviously more attractive than the autocracy of Communism, should realise that if they fail to avail themselves of their opportunity they will do so at their peril. If all industrial operations were conducted in the spirit which has evidently animated the watersiders employed on the Cape York, and if every endeavour were made by the parties most intimately concerned to widen the area of goodwill, there would be little need for libertyloving peoples to fear overt and covert attempts to rob them of their great heritage.