MOMENTOUS DAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21193, 16 August 1940, Page 7

MOMENTOUS DAYS

EMPIRE FACING CRISIS DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND VALUE OF WOMEN’S LAND ARMY An outstanding feature of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company is the annual committeemen’s smoke concert held on the eve of the annual meeting. Last night’s function was well up to the standard of previous years, Mr W. Marshall, chairman of directors, presiding over a large attendance. Among the guests were Messrs H. E. Worsp, chairman of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, and A. G. Brown, general mapager of the company; Messrs W. E. Hale, chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, and A. J. Murdoch, a member, and C. H. Courtney, secretary; Mr W. S. Goosman, M.P. for Waikato; Messrs W. Goodfellow, managing-director of Amalgamated Dairies Limited, and L. F. Hames, secretary; Dr. H. E. Annett, chairman of the Waikato Pig Council; and Mr W. Dempster, chairman of the Waikato Primary Production Council. Apologies for absence included those from the Hon. W. Dee Martin, Minister of Agriculture; Sir Francis Frazer, deputy-chairman of the Commission of Agriculture, Messrs F. W. Doidge, J. Thom, and C. R. Petrie, M.’s P., and Mr F. Picot, director of the Internal Marketing Department. “I think that it is good in times of trials for such gatherings as this to be held as it helps us to keep our balance for the great efforts we are called upon to make,” commented Mr Marshall, in welcoming the guests. “There is no doubt that we are living in momentous days and even now our sons and our kinsmen may be battling to keep the enemy out of the Motherland we all so much revere. Perhaps in Egypt our sons and our boys are battling against vastly superior forces, which are seeking to destroy the things we hold even more dear than life itself. Our Empire is facing a crisis in its long history and we, in this far country, are intimately concerned in the happenings of every hour overseas. It is no wonder that our hearts and thoughts are turned to the news from overseas, where our kinsmen are bearing the brunt of the enemy’s attack.”

Maintaining Company’s Strength “We fervently hope,” added Mr Marshall, “that Right and Truth will prevail and that when the dark cloud has passed we will leave for our children and our children’s children a heritage well worth while —a heritage that has been built up by the hard toil of our forebears. "This company has a very important part to play in the war effort and by your attendance tonight you are showing your interest in maintaining the strength of our company. By maintaining our strength, which is built on the individual effort of the farmers, our effort can be a worthy one.” After congratulating Mr Marshall on his election as chairman of directors, Mr H. D. Caro, Mayor of Hamilton, congratulated the company on appointing such an able leader to the position. Mr Caro added that Hamilton had been built around the co-operative dairy company. "Backbone of Country" “The farmer has been, and always will be, the backbone of the country and when any special effort is required it is the farmer who is asked for the extra work,” continued Mr Caro. “It is pleasing to see that the Government of the day is at last recognising that the farmer cannot be done without. The primary production of any country is the foundation of its wealth. New Zealand is a wonderful country but what are we doing to defend it ? There has been a lot of talk about necessary steps but nothing definite has been done. We are now faced with the position of the ordinary citizens having to take action theaaselves and learn to defend themselves and their homes. “Might I remind you of the scheme for a women’s land army that I mooted some six months ago,” added Mr Caro. “This scheme has not received any consideration but if it had we would now have had a valuable reserve. If New Zealand was attacked the farmers could leave their farms and help repel the invaders and the Women’s Land Army could carry on the ordinary production of the country. As it is now, if the farmers had to leave their land to help in the defence of the country the necessary production would not be maintained.” During the evening Mr W. Goodfellow, who has been round the world twice in the last 18 month*, gave a comprehensive and very interesting talk on his travels and the contacts made, giving a pen picture of many European countries just prior to and after the outbreak o£ war. Defence of New Zealand Mr W. S. Goosman, M.P. for Waikato, paid a tribute to the ability of the new chairman and said the company had been singularly fortunate in its choice of chairmen over a long period of years. “New Zealand is not as well defended as anyone in New Zealand would like it to be, but people should not get away with the idea that nothing is being done,” said Mr Goosman. “You can accept my assurance that the Government is doing its best. It has a big job, bristling with difficulties but it is only fair to say that they are tackling the position in earnest.” It might not be the way all people agreed with but it was wrong to think that nothing had been done.

in conclusion Mr Goosman said that he had entered politics in an attempt to do something useful for New Zealand. Anything and everything that was good for New Zealand as a whole he would fight for, and when the tune came wnen he thought that he could not do something lor the good of the country h« would retire f"om politics. Selections by an orchestra conducted by Mr J. T. Batlersby contributed to the success of the programme, which included songs by Mr Stewart Harvey, saxophone solos by Mr S. Barrett, and humour by Messis Alan McElwain and Elton Black.