AMERICAN PRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25180, 18 April 1945, Page 9

AMERICAN PRESS

ATTITUDE TO BRITAIN MR BULLIVAN'S CRITICISM (P.A.) CHTtISTCHUE-CH, Tuesday Ihe attitude of a large section of newspapers of the United States was the main contributing factor in a lack of understanding of Britain, which he noticed on his Recent visit to the United States, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan, in an address to the Christchurch Businessmen's Club. He had the first indication of this lack of understanding during his flight across the Pacific, when he attended a screen shown for American naval and marine personnel. Naturally, when a photograph of Mr Roosevelt was flashed on the screen it was greeted with applause, but he was distressed to find ™at a depiction of Mr Winston Churchill was greeted with laughter, and by a section of the audience with leering. One-sided Reporting was rather shocking to see the difference in space accorded by American newspapers to the part being played by the United States and that being played by the British Commonwealth in the war in Eiirope," said Mr Sullivan. "The United States war effort received pages of publicity, whereas the British Commonwealth's efforts were accorded a few inches and occasionally a quarter of a column." The same state of affairs applied to the struggle between the United States and the British delegations at the international air conference in Chicago, added Mr Sullivan. The United States' point of view received wide publicity, but the same treatment was not accorded the views of the United Kingdom delegation, and thus the reason for the United Kingdom's attitude was withheld from the people of the American world. A bad- feature of this was that it was fairly general among the newspapers he saw in the United States. On the other hrtiid, tie tvould not like to leave the impression that it represented the universal attitude pf the American people toward the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth. He met a number of officials of the United States State Department, and these men understood British ideals and motives and the part that Britain had played in the war. American Public Opinion "That gives one faith that in the end Britain will be understood by the mass of the people of the United States, in spite of the unfair attitude taken hy so many of its newspapers," said Mr Sullivan. In the main the situation was not good in regard to the American public's opinion of Britain. Unfortunately, that bad feeling was also noticeable among many American businessmen he met, and/ it should be added that it had its complement in reverse among businessmen in London. Mr Sullivan added that he had urged on the British Minister of Information and British officials in the United States the need for widespread publicity so that the two great nations would be brought to understand each other more closely. Unless Britain and the United States did work together in peace, there would be very little hope indeed for the world, concluded Mr Sullivan. CITY ACCOUNTANT DEATH OF MR M. D. GRAY The death has occurred at the age of 03 of Mr Maurice Donald Gray, a well-known accountant of Auckland. Mr Gray was a pupil of the Mount Eden School and o£ the Auckland Grammar School, and in 1897 and 1898 he was captain of the Grammar School first fifteen. As a young man he was a keen footballer and cricketer, and played half back for the Suburbs team under the old district Rugby football scheme. Mr Gray, who was a son of the late Mr Samuel Gray, town clerk of Mount Eden, began his business career on the staff of the A.M.P. Society, t and later was employed by F. E. Jackson, Ltd., before he entered into private practice

as an accountant. He was secretary of tiie Chemists' Service Guild from its inception and was for a long time secretary of the Auckland Pharmaceutical Association. Among the organisations for which he was auditor were the Auckland Trotting Club and the Auckland Institute and Museum. Mr Gray is survived by three daughters and two sons, one of whom recently returned to the Dominion after four years' active service. WATER SUPPLY SCHEME NORTHERN WAIROA AREA (0.C.) DAKGAVILLE, Tuesday A water supply scheme for the Northern Wairoa district, embracing the borough of Dargaville and portions of the Otamatea (including Huawai) and Hobson counties, which was submitted bv the Works Department, was outlined at a conference in Dargaville. For the department, Mr R. C. Lough said the reservoir at the main intake would hold 14.000,000 gallons and besides Dargaville it was anticipated that every farm along the pipeline would take water. Dargaville and Ruawai and the urban districts had been provided for up to 1,000,000 gallons a day, the present estimated requirement being 840,000 gallons. The original estimate of the cost of Ihe work was £247,000 and provided a £1 for £2 suhsidv were available the annual charges would be £10.708. These were apportioned as follows:—Dargaville borough, £2MI7 ; Hobson County, £2785; Otamatea County, £. r ). r )7l. On this basis it was originally estimated that the cost: of water per 1000 gallons would be:—Dargaville. 10£ d, and Hobson and Otamatea Counties. ]s 1 Jd. Owing to rising costs, it was now estimated that the borough would have to pay Is 3d per 1000 gallons and the counties Is 7Jd. No provision was made for a supply to tjie settlers in the Kailiu Valley, as it was at too high a level. Mr Lough said officers of the department would meet, settlers at Kuawai and discuss the scheme.