PHASE VITAL TO NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 281, 26 August 1942, Page 5

PHASE VITAL TO NEW ZEALAND

Solomons Campaign EXPECTED ENEMY NAVAL EFFORT

Much May Be At Stake

The New Zealand Press Association correspondent at a south Pacific port says that the few cautious but hope-producing official communiques which have been issued from Washington about the operations in the Solomon Islands should not encourage the peoples of the south Pacific countries to regard its outcome as being cut and dried. The period of anxious suspense has by no means been ended. The importance of the operation to New ■Zealand could not be plainer.

From the almost Impenetrable mist of silence, Imposed for security reasons, which surrounds what is now going on in the Solomons area, there can finally emerge only one of two things. If the Allied naval forces prevail in the anticipated counter-offen-sive, New Zealand’s security from attack will be guaranteed for a long period. If they fail and have to devote many months to the recouping ■of their strength, New Zealand will be placed in an incontestably more dangerous position than she has ever been in. Success for the Allies will mean that the base organization for the next stage of the offensive against the enemy in the Pacific can be advanced over 1000 miles from the present United States-Hawaii-Fiji-New Zealand line. Failure will mean that the base organization will have to stand where it has been, and that the FijiNew Zealand section will be in an almost inconceivably worse position than it is now. An Allied naval disaster in the Solomons area will undoubtedly precipitate an enemy onrush against New Caledonia and Fiji, and if they go New Zealand’s peril will be complete.

This, in plain terms, is what the Solomons hold for New Zealand. The operation has more, of direct importance for the Dominion than it has for Australia. The official communiques about the progress achieved give no ground for pessimism, but the peoples of the South Pacific should nevertheless understand what potentialities a possible failure might hold

for them. Several weeks might elapse before the naval issue in the Solomons area is decided. The lack of action on the part of the Japanese since the capture of the south-eastern islands does not argue lack of intention till the die is east and the outcome is known. The present period of suspense must continue, but it should not be regarded as indicating that the Japanese have decided to avoid a naval test. Meanwhile, and till the crucial time arrives, the) correspondent considers that there will continue to be good grounds for watchful optimism. The land operations have apparently gone, extremely well, though he believes there is still daily fighting in the islands, and the naval forces have given sufficient taste of their quality in battle to produce the hope that, provided fortune is beneficent, the impending action will also go well. All eyes must, therefore, remain turned to the sea.