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these losses. It is of the utmost importance that these inequalities of sacrifice should be recognized and that mutual assistance should be cheerfully given to build up strength where it is most needed. For our part, although fortunately our Dominion was spared from actual invasion we made a maximum contribution both in manpower and in material resources. The £65,000,000 spent on defence construction represented the equivalent in man-power and materials of 30,000 homes and 7,000 public and commercial buildings. On the food front we strained every effort despite difficulties in man-power and in obtaining essential imports of fertilizers. For example at VJ Day New Zealand, in addition to feeding our own people and sending unprecedented supplies to Britain, also, under reciprocal aid, was supplying sufficient food for no less than one million United States personnel. Despite man-power difficulties our volume and value of factory production were expanded greatly in the war effort, civilian consumption being at the same time substantially limited. During the war period New Zealand factories provided for our own and for the Allied Forces over 1,000,000 battle-dress suits, 1,500,000 pairs boots and shoes, 1,500,000 blankets, and 2,250,000 pairs socks. As regards munitions, nearly 6,000,000 grenades were supplied, and 253,000,000 rounds of small ammunition, and 1,500,000 mortar bombs, were made in New Zealand. Turning to services of various kinds so essential in the maintenance of living standards we see a like sacrifice. Civilian rail-travel fell during the war years, equivalent to twelve million passenger journeys per annum. Petrol rationing and road goods and passenger services have reduced the road miles travelled for normal civilian purposes by two and a quarter billion. The loss in personal services rendered by school-teachers, doctors, dentists, and a host of other skilled workers whose contribution to real national income is most important in a modern society, has also been heavy. Seventy per cent, of New Zealand's male teachers served in the Forces at one time or other and, although they were for the most part replaced by re-engaged superannuitant school-teachers, the full teaching service could not be given in our schools —much less could the planned reduction in the size of classes be carried out; 589 of 1,600 doctors served for more or less lengthy periods overseas and were hence not available to attend civilians. Moreover the calls made by servicemen and ex-servicemen upon doctors in New Zealand further reduced the attention they could give to the public. It is the same story with dentists, nurses, lawyers, tradesmen, and labourers. While New Zealand did not spare its man-power and material resources in the war effort, Government's policy of social and material progress was implemented within the limits imposed by war conditions. I*—B 6

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