AS OTHERS SEE US

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1942, Page 3

AS OTHERS SEE US

NEW ZEALAND’S WAR EFFORT PRAISED BY AMERICAN. FULL CREDIT GIVEN. In the “New York Times” of May 1, a review is published of the present-day position in New Zealand. It is the work of an American journalist, Mr F. Tillman Durdin, whose despatch was sent from Wellington by wireless. In the face of the Japanese menace, New Zealand presents the picture of a country resolutely preparing to resist attack and do its share in striking blows at the Japanese wherever United Nations commanders direct, Mr Durdin says. Regulars and home guardsmen are conspicuously on watch along the coast and at important communication points, airfields and military establishments throughout the Dominion. The American observer gives this Dominion full credit for what its fighting men accomplished overseas in the early stages of the war. In this connection he remarks: — New Zealand shows obvious signs of having already contributed much to the British Empire’s war against Germany and Italy, and now the country is contributing much more to the United Nations in the Pacific. There are few fit young men in the streets of Auckland and Wellington—they are mostly fighting abroad or are in training at home. FOOD CHEAP AND PLENTIFUL. Public services are run with a minimum of human labour. In hotels many services are lacking because of the shortage of labour and the staffs are almost completely made up of women. Women in Auckland are now being pressed into the service of running the tramways. Wounded veterans of the New Zealand forces in Greece, Crete and Libya demobilised homeward are a common sight in the cities. Food in New Zealand is still cheap and plentiful, but there are some shortages. Mr Durdin says. Eggs and citrus fruits are hard to obtain and sugar is being rationed to 12 ounces a week. The gasolene ration is enough for motor-cars to travel only 40 miles a month. The columns of “situations vacant” advertisements in the newspapers reflect the general shortage of labour, and in Wellington one of the largest restaurants has just closed down because of inability to get a staff. NO MAJOR PRIVATIONS. However, New Zealand is suffering no major privations. The country produces chiefly primary food products, and necessities are plentiful, while the shops are still well stocked with clothing and articles of ordinary use. A further tribute to this country’s war effort is made when the writer reports in detail on the splendid service the young men of the Dominion are rendering in the theatres of war. He says:— Confronted with the possibility of a Japanese attack, New Zealand is in the situation where its best manhood is abroad. The Dominion is maintaining a division with the British forces in the Middle East and there is another sizeable force garrisoning Fiji. Thousands of New Zealanders are with the Royal Air Force in England, and other thousands are manning ships of the British Navy in all parts of the world. Unlike Australia, New Zealand has made no move to recall her men from the Middle East, although some officers and non-commissioned personnel have been brought home to assist in training the new Home Defence Army.