MODERN CRUSADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24923, 19 June 1944, Page 4

MODERN CRUSADE

MISSION OF ALLIES

AN INDIVIDUAL OBLIGATION

For dy#>th of sincerity and spiritual insi glt4f the message of His Majesty the King, broadcast at the commencement of the invasion of Europe, had surpassed all previous Royal messages, said Archbishop Averill in a broadcast sermon delivered at All Saints' Church, l'onsonby, yesterday. It was a message which had come at the right .time and not a moment too soon, for we were {ill in danger of losing the clear vision of a divine meaning and purpose behind all that was so earthly, sordid ami degrading in war, just as we were in danger of losing the keen edge of our ideals. "Twice in his memorable message the King referred to our part in the war of liberation as a crusade, and our minds go back to the Crusades, when men and nations were filled with zeal for the honour of God and the rescue of the holy places in Jerusalem from the hands' of the infidel," said the archbishop. "The success or failure ol those Crusades depended upon the character and conduct of the crusaders and the sincerity and righteousness ol their ideals and motives. "Worthy Instruments" "The King says we and our Allies j are sure that our fight is against ® v 'd> j and therefore urges that our first duty is to seek and do God's will and to prepare ourselves for our mission and task as crusaders. It is not sufficient merely to pray for victory, but, first and foremast, to pray that we may be worthv instruments in carrying out God's" will in the deliverance of His oppressed children in all lands from I tyranny, .oppression and the worst evils of slavery in body, mind and spirit. "I used the words 'worthy instruments' advisedly, for it seems to me lan insult to the good God, Who has called our nation and Empire to such glorious, knightly service, if we regard war as an excuse for flinging back into ! God's face His eternal moral law, and ! presuming to imagine that we can ireallv be God's instruments and play (the devil's game at the same time. It lis the life, the character, which alone j can offer to God acceptable service. Wonderful Fulfilment "The old story of Joshua and the liberation of Canaan is finding a strange and wonderful fulfilment- in the story of our own times; in the task which ! God has committed to _ the Anglo- ' Saxon race to-day, the liberation of millions of enslaved, tortured, starved and oppressed human beings from the iron grip of godless, self-seeking, selfintoxicated tyrants. Shall we accept the King's message as an individual call to one of us to our lives to God. and take our place as members of His bodyguard in His and our great crusade against the seen and unseen forces of evil ?"

AMBULANCE DRIVERS BETTER HOURS SOUGHT A STATEMENT CONTRADICTED I "Mr. Matthews' statement is not | correct," said Mr. S. E. Langstone, secretary-manager of the St._ John Ambulance Association, last night, when referring to a statement by Mr. L. G. Matthews, secretary, of the Auckland Drivers' Union, that ambulance drivers were working up to 70 hours a week for a wage of £6 Os 6d. The drivers worked 60 hours over a period of eight days, being engaged during five days and having three days off, said Mr. Langstone. Any time over that was paid for at a special rate. The statement was made by Mr. Matthews in the course of an announcement that the Auckland Drivers' Union was seeking improvements in the working conditions, hours and wages of ambulance drivers. The union was drawing up claims for an agreement under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act for that section of workers, he said. The conditions of their employment were not in keeping with their qualifications and the time was long overdue for an improvement. A reduction of the present hours of between 60 and 70 hours a week to a maximum of 48 hours was the major improvement sought, said Mr. Matthews. The union also sought an improvement in the daily hours and an increase in wages comparable with those of other specialised workers. "We are not a commercial enterprise but a voluntary establishment and nobody is making any money out of it," said Mr. Langstone. The drivers were issued with free uniforms and single men were given lodging, but had to pay for their meals. They received three weeks' holiday on full pay. Eight of them had been exempted from service in the forces because of their essential work. Not all their hours were actual driving time,-as there was considerable waiting. BUS EMPLOYEES' CLAIMS UNION SEEKS AGREEMENT ' ' Claims submitted by the Auckland | Drivers' Union for a new agreement I for the conditions of employment of j bus drivers have been referred by the i Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, to the Conciliation Commissioner in Auckland. Mr. C. L. Hunter, accord- | ing to the secretary of the union, Mr. i L. G. Matthews. The Auckland Drivers' Union, within a radius of 25 miles of the Chief Post Office, was deregistered by the Cabinet last January during the bus drivers' dispute over Sunday pay. | Under the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act claims for an agreement had been filed, said Mr. Matthews on Saturday. Representatives of the Omnibus Proprietors' Association _ and the union had met twice within the last month, but no agreement was reached. The matters in dispute were consequently placed in the hands of the Minister, who was asked by the union to have them referred to a disputes committee as provided for in the Act. AUTHORITIES DEFIED GREYMOUTH MILK PRICE (•0.C.) _ GREYMOUTH, Saturday The price of milk was increased by a penny a quart yesterday in spite of no authorisation by the Price Tribunal. As spokesman for suppliers, Mr. F. G. Norton stated that customers had in many cases put the additional amount of money into containers ready for the milkmen. "Everything is going smoothly and everyone is congratulating the milkmen," stated Mr. Norton. He said there hail been no fresh negotiations between the industry and the authorities in Wellington, and that so far no advice had been received of pending prosecutions for breaches of the regulations by charging the increased amount, which it is proposed to retain for tlie winter period until the end of September. The Hon. >l. O'Brien. M.P. for Westland, stated that the Government was prepared to ensure that- town milk producers supplying the Greymouth borough area would be paid Is fid a gallon of milk from June 14 until August .'VI. "This price," he said, "is to be payable to the producer by the vendor, who shall be entitled to reimbursement of Id a gallon through the town milk office for all milk sold to consumers in the Greymouth borough area during the period and subjected to certification by a Government officer nominated for that purpose."