CONTRIBUTION TO WAR EFFORT

Southland Times, Issue 24598, 21 November 1941, Page 6

CONTRIBUTION TO WAR EFFORT

Prime Minister Gives Details

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, November 20. New Zealand’s contribution to the Empire’s war effort in sailors, soldiers and airmen, and also in equipment, was revealed by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, when addressing the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the New Zealand Institute of Business Executives. Mr L. A. Eady, in welcoming Mr Fraser, suggested that greater public co-operation in emergency precautions might be forthcoming if the public were taken more into the Government’s confidence. Mr Fraser said that as far as possible he wanted to meet this very reasonable wish. He therefore proposed to tell the meeting details of New Zealand’s contribution in man power, although the figures he proposed to quote could not all be published. The Prime Minister then told the meeting how many men had been sent overseas to the Army, Navy and Air Force. He also announced for publication the totals relating to men serving in New Zealand. In addition to men training for air duties, there were 6111 administrative and staff workers in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and 762 members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Men available for home defence, excluding those training to go overseas and the Navy in home waters, included a regular and temporary staff numbering 4244, also 29,424 territorials, 9000 members of the National Military Reserve, a substantial Air Force and a Home Guard of 102,500. There were also 90,000 E.P.S. members and 30,000 in the Women’s War Service Auxiliary. THE HOME GUARD “Members of the Home Guard deserve great credit,” the Prime Minister added. He said that equipment was being supplied to them as it became available, training was in progress and though it had a long way to go, the right steps were being taken. Do not let Home Guardsmen imagine that if our country is attacked by any danger they are not destined to play an important part,” he added. “They certainly are. Those who have joined the Home Guard and the E.P.S. are playing an important and essential part in the defence organization of the country.’ Reference was also made by the Prime Minister to the manufacturing achievements of New Zealand industry and the provision of equipment not only for our own troops, but for export. He said that since the outbreak of the war to October 31 this year there had been made in New Zealand for the various services 278,919 pairs of blankets, 1,461,290 yards of flannel materials, 1,302,757 pairs of socks and stockings, 418,933 woollen vests, 403,877 pairs of woollen shorts, 651,902 yards of great coating, 1,346,342 yards of tunic cloth, 183,421 jerseys and 5530 pullovers. The items for export included 6697 pairs of blankets for the Army, 63,438 yards of greatcoating for the Army and 1179 yards of blue serge for the Navy. In addition footwear factories had delivered 617,719 pairs of boots, shoes and sandals, and other firms were making hand grenades, .303 ammunition, Bren carriers and other Army vehicles, fuses, mortars and bombs.