WAR EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23594, 1 March 1940, Page 9

WAR EFFORT

' NEW ZEALAND'S PART WHERE HELP IS NEEDED BUYING' FROM BRITAIN CONSERVING EXCHANGE "On the maintenance of Britain's financial strength the whole British cause depends," said the High Commissioner for thp United Kingdom, Sir Harry Jiatterbce, in a luncheon address to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in Milne and Olioyce's Reception Hall yesterday. "To do this it is absolutely essential that Britain's export trade be maintained and it is equally essential that the British countries overseas send to the United Kingdom all possible prinutty products. "The position is encouraging and is better than in the last war," Sir Harry said. "For the first two months of the present year United Kingdom exports have exceeded, although only slightly, exports for the corresponding months in the last two years."

Sacrifices in Britain On tho other hand, Sir Harry said, there had been a great increase in tho valuo of imports, almost entirely for war purposes. This adverse balance showed tho urgency of the need to increase exports still further. Ho trusted that all goods for which they had the money would be imported from Britain at the present time. Steps taken had recently been supplemented by the appointment of an 'Export Council, to assist in the organisation "of the United Kingdom export •trade with a view to increasing it as a vital part of the war effort. In order •io concentrate all resources 011 manufacture. for export a substantial drop jn production for the home market was inevitable. This meant that the people of the United/Kingdom would have to , go short and they were doing so cheer- ' fully. The Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade, Mr. E. S. Hudson, had referred recently to the necessity lor still further restriction of home consumption. Even more exports were necessary than in the peak year of 1.929, he said. .

Patrol Rationing Appreciated The United Kingdom was compelled ft present to make very large purchases of goods in foreign currencies, especially dollar, currencies, and every possible step was necessary to conserve exchange. It was necessary to restrict imports of many commodities which .the people of the-United Kingdom were $ ccustorned to imi>ort. Among them wasi petrol and he would like to say thai the people of Britain greatly appreciated tho measures New •Zealand was /taking to share this turden. It should be made clefir that petrol rationing in the United Kingdom vas considerably more severe than in this country. He read in a letter recently that in England to-day petrol was more precious than champagne. While the United Kingdom must ever keep in' the forefront the need ta .'expand exports to all parts of the vor'd, the promotion of inter-Imperial trade remained . equally her object. Itritain was buying the bulk of New Zealand's exportable surplus and by reason of the common necessity for conserving foreign exchange it was to he hoped New Zealand would look more than ever to the United Kingdom to supply her needs in return. Need of Understanding

United Kingdom exporters could be rMied upon to do their best to meet the needs of thp New Zealand market. 1 ?,• however, delays or difficulties occurred occasionally, the Dominion could .-remembering, that the home consumer to an equal or greater extent would' have to go without, contribute to the common effort by patience and synnathetic understanding. _ Many gocls wore available without difficulty and New Zealand could help by securing requirements of these from the United Kingdom to as great an extent as possible. There would, no doubt, be plenty of post-war economic problems, and the more inter-Empire trade could be promoted s.t present the better able we should he to meet the position. But first the war had to be_ won. People were experiencing hardships in Britain, but nothing was so encouraging to them as the knowledge that other countries of the Empire were determined to help to the utmost of their power. Empire's Greatest Struggle "This is going to bo a terrific struggle—the 'worst in which the British Empire has ever been engaged," Sir Harry said. "It has not even begun yet.' But I know perfectly well that when your help is wanted most it will be forthcoming." Britain wanted New Zealand's help in the best use of manpower for production and for military purposes, and above all moral help in the knowledgo that the Dominion was determined to bf? beside the Mother Country to the end.

NEW CAMP HUT SOLDIERS ENTERTAINED The new hut provided at the Pnpak.ira military' camp by the Y.M.C.A. officially opened last night, when about 1000 soldiefrs were entertained by the Radiant Revue Company. The opening ceremony was performed by Lieutenant-Colonel C. S. White, camp commandant, who paid a tribute to tile I.M.C.A. for the work it was doing in the military camps throughout Na v Zealand. Comparisons of the present conditions in the camp with those of his experience during the Boer War were Jr.ade in a happy speech by the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, S;:r Harry Batterbee. Other speakers were the deputv-Mavor, Mr. J. A. C. lhun, and tho president of the iY.M.C.A., Mr. W. Calder Maekay.

WORK OF THE CHURCHES PROVISION IN REGULATIONS [HV TELEGRAPH- —FRKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Thursday Tn view of misconceptions about religious 'work by churches in New Zealand among the armed forces, the sec-retary-treasurer of the National Patriotic Fund Board, Mr. G. A. Hayden, slated this afternoon that it should be reiterated that there was a special provision in the patriotic emergency regulations governing such work. /'The position," said Mr. Hayden, "is that funds may be collected by any religious denomination for the carrying oil of its spiritual work and ministrations among the armed forces by authorised ministers and officers of that denomination, provided these funds are collected and sought exclusively from members and adherents of that denomination."