FOOD SUPPLIES FOR ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 25357, 8 May 1944, Page 5

FOOD SUPPLIES FOR ALLIES

New Zealand Ready To Do Utmost (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. An assurance that if it lay within the powers of New Zealand to increase her supplies of food to Britain it would be done, was given by the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, at his Press conference. Mr Fraser drew attention to the action of the New Zealand Dairy Council in support of increased dairy production in order to help Britain and said: “I would like to underline this policy, which is also the New Zealand Government’s. The war in Europe is moving to a climax, and the war in the Pacific is steadily gaining momentum. This new phase is marked by an urgent and increasing demand for our foodstuffs,' partly for Britain and partly to meet the continually increasing American demands in the Pacific, and, of course, in time to meet the ruieds of the liberated peoples. “We had, however, already strained our man-power resources to the utmost to maintain our fighting forces both in the Pacific and in Europe and had no men to spare for this increased food production. We, therefore, on the advice of the combined Chiefs of Staff, are making certain readjustments in part of those forces to get farmers back to the land to keep up the output of food.” Outlining New Zealand’s achievements in the present war—with special reference to the Maoris — Mr Fraser told a story that symbolises her spirit. Before the Japanese descended on the Southern Pacific New Zealand possessed but two anti-aircraft guns, one at Wellington, and the other at Auckland. They might have done more harm to civilians than to the Japanese. Nevertheless they stood for and upheld the New Zealanders’ morale. When the Japanese threat came these two guns were sent, to Fiji, leaving the Dominion with none. Today, it was a different story. Today New Zealand had more armaments than man-power to man them.

Discussing the possible duration of the war against Japan, Mr Fraser said: “The war with Germany must come first. If the attack is a success the Pacific war might finish in 1946. If it is a great success Japan might be laid low next year.” Mr Brendan Bracken, the Minister of Information, in thanking Mr Fraser, paid a warm tribute to the Dominion. “New Zealand,” he said, “is chockfull of guts and has set an example of gallantry in this world—an example to every nation, including the Mother Country.”