HANDS ACROSS THE SEA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 44, 30 January 1945, Page 4

HANDS ACROSS THE SEA

GREETINGS FROM AUSTRALIA VICTORY ? SURE; One of those coincidences which brings home to us the spirit of friendship existing between Austra- ' lia and our own New Zealand occurred recently when a letter arrived addressed to Mr D. Archer, at the Paper Mills containing greetings froin across the Tasman. The whole thing started when Mr Archer in packing a bale of paper bound for Australia inserted a piece of Triplex Board bearing his name and address and the words 'Victory '? Sure!' Several days ago he received a letter from the printing firm of Waller and Johnston of Wollongong, Australia, which read as follows:— "Dear Friend—Some time in 1942 we purchased some paper from our Sydney warehouse, and it was stored away until a few weeks ago. When opened, it revealed a rough piece of Triplex Board on which was. written: "D. Archer, Paper Mills, Wha'katane Nth. Island, New Zealand. VICTORY ? SURE!" We pinned your prophetic message upon our wall. It was. to us a message from friends overseas. As today is the. start of a new year, I thought I would drop a line to "Scribe Archer" and express our thanks for the prophecy together with a hope that 1945 may see it come true in every sense. One of the first things that caught my eye was, your blue pencil message and I felt T could not open the business year better than by sending a hand across the sea in token of a kindly regard for the splendid efforts of your N.Z. Latterly we have read stirring reports of the excellent work you are doing for your men of the services— our leading daily, "The Sydney Morning Herald" printed a subleader in commendation of New Zealand Repatriation and held it up as an example lor Australia to follow. We are doing our best individually to bring success to our collective aims though the general result is not as good as many of us could wish for. Our greetings, as a staff interested in paper and printing come to you and your pals. We trust as an "Archer" you are taking good aim, rarely missing the mark, and finding life agreeable, and that 1945 will be good to you all. We have five in the services but are trying to carry on so that their places will be ready for their return. All the best.—Yours sincerely—R. Waller." Wollongong is approximately 52 miles south of Sydney. It is built by the sea and is a city of approximately 22,000 population. Dairying and industrial work (coal and steel) are the mainstays of the community. Mr Archer intends replying to the letter at an early date. j