TUESDAY, NOV. 28, 1944

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 28, 28 November 1944, Page 4

TUESDAY, NOV. 28, 1944

CONTRASTS

WHEN British people get excited because one .fresh egg will be allowed to everybody this Christmas, the contrast be* tween conditions at Home and here becomes all the more striking. Britain's sixth wartime Christmas is it too much to hope that it will also be the last? —will, according to Mr Bankes Amery, leader of the United Kingdom Food Mission, be the most austere of the war. The whole nation is looking forward to a well-deserved holiday of two days, but even the enjoyment of this will be restricted, foi train services are. much reduced and no petrol is allowed for private motoring, even at Christmas. But even if family reunions will be difficult, the people of Britain, fortified by the knowledge that their efforts are now bringing their own

reward, will contrive to observe the spirit of Christmas— a spirit that does not depend on material things alone done. In New Zealand, in a larger measure even than in Australia, there is a greater opportunity for observing Christmas in something approaching the pre-war style. Certainly family parties will not be as complete, but, by and large, on the material side, there will be a sufficiency of Christmas fare. Some goods are in short supply and nearly all are dearer— some exasperatingly dearer—but/ compared with the people of Britain, most people here will manage to do very well. For this reason Christmas, 1944, should be approached in a spirit of thanksgiving that the realities of war, apart from the personal aspect, have not been brought home to us so acutely and that we are able: to enjoy most of what Christmas has come to mean to us in security and comfort. For this reason, too, we nhould pause in the enjoyment of our Christmas festivities to pay tribute to the people of Britain, who have endured over five years of trial and sacrifice without complaint and without wavering. To them the people of New Zealand, together with all the peoples of the United Nations, owe much. Although this Christmas is still obscured by the clouds of war, and although days of severe trial lie ahead, there is good reason for rejoicing, for the United Nations have gone far along the road to victory since Christmas 1943. Although the people of Great Britain cannot share with us materially in the full enjoyment of the Christmas season, they can share with us in the hope that the coming year will see the dawn oi brighter days. And they can also share with us their relief at the fact that their indomitable leader and ours has fully recovered his health and vigour.