SUPPLY MISSION DIRECTOR

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 13, 11 October 1943, Page 6

SUPPLY MISSION DIRECTOR

Address In Wellington After an absence of six years in the United States, during which period he became director of the New Zealand Supply Mission in Washington, Mr. R. W. Marshall has returned to the Dominion. In an address to members of the Eng-lish-Speaking Union in Wellington on Thursday, he gave an interesting account of some of his experiences and made reference to- the work of the mission. One of his first official duties was in connexion with the Golden Gate Fair at 'San Francisco. At that time New' Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific were becoming very well known. In the subsequent, war period he came to. know more intimately the esteem, in which New Zealand, in particular, was held in the United States. . . There was a large British colony in southern California, approximately 350,000, eousisting largely of retired members of the armed services. Britishers usually remained Britishers wherever they went. They did not change nationality quickly, and some embarrassing questions had been put to him about it. His personal feeling was that if people took up residence in a community and lived there, it. was their duty to share in the responsibilities of government, and take a rightful place in the community. “When the war started we had many active British groups in Hollywood,” said Mr. Marshall. It. was amazing what they had accomplished in sending mnehr needed goods to England. The response from the people of the United States had also been remarkable. The division of opinion evident throughout the United States over the war bad been completely crystallized by the bombing of Pearl Harbour by .the Japanese. That incident had solidified the nation overnight against the Axis Powers. It was probably the most beneficial action to the Allied cause imaginable. New Zealand had established a supply mission in Washington some time. before Pearl Harbour, said Mr. Marshall, who traced the difficult early period, making particular reference to the problem created by the loss of refrigerated ships. New Zealand enjoyed a most favourable reputation in Washington. They probably recognized there more clearly than did the people of the Dominion the tremendous effort made by this small country. “Sometimes I think , we may have overdone it, but the Americans definitely appreciate what has been achieved.” he said.