Britain Needs Our Aid In Peace

Chronicle (Levin), 12 May 1949, Page 8

Britain Needs Our Aid In Peace

• , AUCKLAND, May 11. A greater New Zealand contribution to "the defence of British. ideas and the defence of the British Commonwealth,,' ' was -urged by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Naj&, in an address t.o the Associated Chanibers of Commerce conference. Remarking that his opinion would be regarded in spme qnarters as controversial, he made fhp ^ugg'estion as a practical way of continuing to aid Britain. The Dominion should make a greater financial contribution towards this defence as well as assisting in other ways, Mr. Nash said. Iii war, New Zealand 's contribution . of £630,000,000 was exeellent and New Zealanders had giyen of the best the country possessed but the contribution towards the peacetime defence of British ideas was not comparable between Australia, Soutk Afric,a, Canada and the United Kingdom. "It is the money and genins of the United Kingdom people that I is in the main being used to defend ps in time of peace," he stated. "In v/artime we are in but in peacetime we let them spend their money to save us." Mr. Nash urged individual traders and importers to _ direct trade to Britain wherever it was possible and where open licenees were issued, to place orders with the United Kingdom. He also emphasised the real and hnman value of the £2,480,000 of food parcels whieh had been sent from New Zealand to the people in Britain."