NEW ZEALAND NEEDS GREATER PUBLICITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 122, 26 May 1942, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEEDS GREATER PUBLICITY

IN BRITAIN AND U.S.A.

Very Little News Abroad Of Country's War Effort

Special Correspondent. Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, May 25. An article sent by Mr. Henry Kevs a correspondent of the Sunday Express, commenting on the position in New Zealand, has been read with interest particularly by New Zealanders in the United kingdom, who see comparatively little reference to the Dominion's news and views in United Kingdom newspaners, this being in contrast with the publicity given Australia and other Dominions. Many people in Britain, in addition to New Zealanders, have commenced time after time on the relative lack of reports concerning New Zealand opinion on recent events in the Far East. The comment cabled has been confined chiefly to Mr. Fraser's speeches, extracts from which have tended to give an impression of "correctness"—which was the chief characteristic of his speeches during his visit to the United Kingdom last year.

New Zealand could well do with greater publicity in Britain. Its publicity has fallen off since the outbreak of war, chiefly because of the automatic ending of various produce boards' advertising when rationing was introduced. The Dominion is well known and very popular in Britain, but more could be told of its views, opinions and ambitions, and also of its war effort, not only in the Press but through films and wireless.

Judging from reports. New Zealand needs a most vigorous publicity campaign in the United States also, where Australian propaganda is good but New Zealand's is almost entirely lackine.

Following are abbreviated extracts from Henry Keys' article:—For a tiny population New Zealand's war effort is superb—l4o,ooo, or more than 9 per cent of the population, are under arms. War next year will be at least £83 per head, or £133,000,000, which is more than the cost of the whole of the last war to the Dominion. New Zealanders themselves are quiet, rural people, ruled by a radical socialistic Government in which nonNew Zealanders hold the biggest jobs.

"Even with war on their doorstep," says the correspondent, "few New Zealanders really believe their country ' will be attacked. They think they are 'too small fry' for the Japanese, and that in any case the war will be won in Europe. As a matter of fact, the war has not seemed very real to the New Zealanders. Except that many have been taken away, the war has not made much difference. This is largely due to the fact that in the two years before the outbreak of war imports had been greatly restricted."

Mr. Keys paid a tribute to women's war work, and makes reference to the New Zealanders' rooted objection to their Government's insistence on the maintenance of the 40-hour week.