ANZAC EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25177, 14 April 1945, Page 8

ANZAC EFFORT

ISLANDERS ASSIST

BOUGAINVILLE CAMPAIGN

(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service). BOUGAINVILLE, April II Tlie l'iva airstrip today chalked up a record total of 83 sorties, eloquent evidence of the continued high-pressure tactics by the New Zealand Corsair squadron. Fighters struck at targets in all sections of Bougainville, ranging from an ammunition- dump which they exploded in the far north to support strikes in the south. In the south-west New Zealand Venturas and American Mitchells from Green Island helped to swell the weight of explosives. Following the recent decisive Australian victory, there is at present & lull on the ground in the south. In j the north an artillery duel is being carried on between Australian 2.5potinders and Japanese 75-millimetre batteries, Our guns have also engaged Japanese on Orokori Island and in Macliiu Bay. The Japanese countered by landing shells on infantry positions and on a 25-pounder battery and also shelled Horseshoe Bay. _ Plaving their part' enthusiastically f native guerillas ambushed 50 Japanese and killed 27 and also captured a machine-gun post. They then ambushed a second Japanese party in another district, killing some with grenades. "We are grateful to the R.N.Z.A.L t . and we appreciate the great assistance it is giving to our forces on Bougainville," said Senator Fraser, Australian acting-Minister of the Army, on Bougainville today. He is making a tout of inspection of Australian units in the Pacific area. "Our forces on Bougainville," lie added, "are doing then job with confidence because of the support they are receiving from the air. It makes their task so much easier.' Senator Fraser strongly disagreed with the belief in some quarters that the campaign in the South Pacific islands was merely a holding or mopping up affair. Those who talked like that, he said, had very little idea of tlie grim nature of the fighting. The feeling that the Japanese were ]ust being left to "die on the vine" or were being cleared out in a leisurely way was far from correct. CESSATION OF GRANTS 1 GREAT WAR FUNDS DECISION CRITICISED The decision of the Great War Funds Administration Committee to stop the grants made for comforts for ex-ser-vicemen in hospital, which were distributed weekly by the Returned Services Association visitors, was strongly criticised at a meeting of the' association's committee on Thursday pight. A letter received at- the meeting stated that after reconsideration of the matter following deputations from the association, the committee had adhered to its former finding that the grants should be stopped. The committee expressed its thanks to the association for its assistance a»d co-operation over a period of years. The Great War Funds Administration Committee consisted of ten women and seven men, of whom only three were ex-servicemen, said Mr K. C. Aekins at Thursday night's meeting. In addition to £7OOO in Auckland, there was a sum of £30,000 in Wellington still to be distributed to the various centres. The members of that committee were appointed for life and could not he substituted. The decision would mean that many ex-servicemen who were sick in hospital would be deprived of comforts that were greatly appreciated. Mr Aekins said he would favour challenging the action of the Great War Funds Administration Committee at law.

i Funds Administration Committee at law. The president of the association, Mr A. P. Postlewaite, stated that the members of the committee were appointed under a special Act and for life. It did not matter whether they attended meetings or not or whether they were interested in returned servicemen. They Trere on the committee and could not be shifted so long as they remained alive. It was the most undemocratic legislation he had ever heard of. Their only challenge would he through the Supreme Court. ONE SHILLING FINE LIQUOR LAW BREACH NO-LICENCE ELECTORATE Presecutioits relating to liquor which was taken into the no-licence electorate of Roskill wore brought against two men before Sir J. H. Luxford, S.M., yesterday. The charges alleged that they had failed to notify the licensee of the hotel from whom the liquor was purchased that it was to be taken into the district and to give him a written statement of their names and addresses. Sub-Inspector Sparks said that the police were called to the home of one of the men because of domestic trouble and the two men were found there with a sack of beer. "This is a very difficult jnatter for people living in a no-licence district," said Mr Luxford. "It will no doubt be inquired into by the present licensing investigation." The metropolitan nolicence electorates were Eden. Roskill and Grey Lynrf, and people living there had to give the required notice, said the magistrate. A nominal penalty of a fine of one shilling without costs was imposed on each man. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT MAORI EX-SERVICEMEN (0.C.) • MATAMATA, Friday The chairman of the Matamata County Council, Mr E. 1). White, mentioned at a meeting of the council that he had been asked by the Rehabilitation Department whether there were any suitable blocks in the district for settling Maori servicemen. Such settlement might solve a problem of many years'* standing, which was the renting for a year or two by pakehas of areas of native land, from which a crop or crops were taken, following which the land was left as a seedbed for noxious weeds. There were big blocks of good native land suitable for dairying behind Te Poi, and at Tapapa and Waotu, which would mj\ke first-class dairy farms. It was agreed to forward to the department a list of blocks of native land suitable for settlement. COUNCIL APPOINTMENT (0.C.) HAMILTON, Friday Notice of motion has been given by Sir H. M. Hammond to rescind the decision of a majority of the Hamilton Borough Council on Wednesday night to appoint Mr J. A. Bridges to the vacancy on the council caused by the death of Mr James Treloar. THE NATIONAL PARTY (0.C.) MORRINSVILLE, Friday At the amfual meeting of the Morrinsville branch of the National Party officers were elected as follows:—President. Mr V. B. Pole; secretary, Mrs J. D, Williams; treasurer, Sir' C. B. Easther; committee, Mesdames J. M, Allen, V. C. Pollard. K. Goosman, Miss Cliford, Sir Stephen Allen, Messrs D. Johnson C. A Ferguson, A. Needham, V. C. Pollard. R, B. Morton. D. T. Davies. F. W. Seifert, M. G. Philpott, H. L. Foster; lion, auditor, Mr H. N. Freeman. |