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transfer of productive activities into goods and services for civilian consumption and the use of war savings in the post-war period will stimulate demand, whilst the stabilization procedure will ensure a continuance of even prices, lo the extent that we consume less of our own production the more there will be available for those in need in Britain and the other United Nations. To the extent we save our shillings and pounds we will hold up the demand for imported products and ease the load on shipping and the pressure on production in the United Kingdom, releasing more workers there for a 100-per-cent. war effort. _ , „ The need is so great, the advantages so real, that I make no apology for again emphasizing the imperatives of stabilization, and consequent necessi > for all sections of the community to invest to the limit in the war loan and national savings. „ . . , f The proposals to provide the aged and other beneficiaries with a hxed sum ol £l 12s. 6d. per week is to offset some of the costs of commodities that have increased since the outbreak of war. .. . „ » The alteration in the widows' benefit is for the purpose of meeting some oi the extra load that comes to mothers when the breadwinner has passed away. The extension of the family benefit is to increase the incomes of the homes where the wage, salary, or other income is not sufficient to provide those things which all parents desire to make available to their children. The other minor adjustments in the social security procedure are made to remove anomalies which have been revealed since the passing of the Act. . "We must not relax our war effort. Everything that life holds which is o-ood depends on a right conclusion to the present conflict, and such a conclusion is the first essential to all progress, but having provided for those who have been through the ordeal of battle and the dependants of those who gave their all in that ordeal we must not avoid our responsibility to those who laid the foundations of this Dominion and who are now in their declining days, nor the widow and those suffering ills beyond remedy from their own efforts. Our collective responsibility to these people remains, it is because we have accepted that responsibility, and because freedom, security, and good living standards have been so long available in this Dominion, that our boys overseas have done so well. It is due to what they have done overseas and what has been done here that the name of New Zealand shines so brightly to-day in all parts of the British Commonwealth and the other United Nations. . „ , , . , The records of our country and our people give just cause for modest pude others have done well and some may have done better—but when the lull story is told perhaps those who weigh the progress and efforts of the nations will give a place of honour to this little country and its people. Measured in figures, no less than £230,000,000 has been spent on the war over a period of three and a half years by less than If million people, whilst the fact that the aged, the sick, the widow, and the family have been fully cared tor, speaks well for the future. The correct measure of progress is reflected m the quality of our men in the face of the hardships and dangers of the present campaign; m the record volume of goods produced by the men and women m our factories,; m the extraordinary work of our primary producers who, in face of unprecedented difficulties, have made a great contribution to the feeding of the people m the United kingdom during Britain's greatest heroic years ; and in the men on the sea who continuously carry and guard the food and other goods that sustain the life of Britain. We must See to it that our plans are well laid to care for our soldiers, sailors, and airmen when they return and at the same time build anew an economic system that will provide reasonable standards for .our own people and also make a contribution to the expansion of life in less fortunate areas of the world. This country is greatly blessed by the fertility of its soils, its climate, and by its beauties, but' these blessings bring great responsibilities. We have lived up to and met these responsibilities in the years that have passed. The evidence is that we will accept and live up to like responsibilities in the future. We have a great opportunity to lay the foundation of a productive and distributive system in which all who serve with hand and brain may so serve without the fear of poverty, unemployment, or the menace of uncared for We should remain the country to which all may turn for an example of what can be done, where all are willing to do their share of the work which makes a full life possible.

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