AT OUR VERY DOOR

Evening Star, Issue 24327, 16 October 1942, Page 2

AT OUR VERY DOOR

ENEMY A BAY S FLIGHT AWAY MR COATES DELIVERS EMPHATIC WARNING (Special.) WELLINGTON,'Oct. 36. “ I say that at this very moment the situation, as far as this country is concerned is perhaps as critical as it could be,” declared Mr Coates, a member of the War Cabinet, when he entered the debate on the no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives last night. He forced home this point in emphatic and vivid language which made a deep impression on the House. “ Members have gleaned from the newspapers,” continued Mr Coates, “ some of the activities not so far awav from us. I am going to take the risk "of saying that at this very moment there is a terrific struggle on the part of our Allies to hold the ground they have gained—not just a raid, but a determined attack to drive them out. Some people will'say that is a long way off It is not so far awav. Members have seen for themselves the results of certain battles on the men who have returned to this country to be healed from their wounds. That must be an indication to the average person that this war is very close to our country, and to Australia; that the struggle at this very moment may mean the safety and preservation of our people. That is not an exaggeration. These are stern facts that every man and woman in this country should realise as never before. Mr Doidge: Were we not up against sterner facts after Dunkirk? Mr Coates replied that he re-, spected the opinions of Mr Doidge, but he very much doubted whether every member of the House realised that an issue so vital to our-’ selves was at stake at that very moment, at a point just a few days away by sea, and less than a day away by air, where this titanic struggle was taking place. We are in it; we cannot leave it to anbody else,” continued £he Minister. “We are not made that way, and none of our people here would say that our 150,000 or 200,000 men do not come into the picture. Of course they do, and with them what, comes into the picture more than anything else is ‘ what is happening to our wives and families if the worst happens P’ No effort or sacrifice we can make is too great to defeat the enemy who threatens us at this very moment.” Mr Coates spoke enthusiastically of the New Zealanders in the Middle East, declaring: “We are mighty proud of them and their performances —none better.” (Hear hear.) They were depending on us to look after this flank while they were away, and there were the New Zealanders in the Navy, of whom a commanding officer had said to him; “ They are magnificent.” We had New Zealanders in the merchant marine, quietly and silently doing their duty, with ho bands to play them off. Hundreds had been lost, yet they went on, which should surely bring home to us- the realities of the position. Our men in the Air Force had, brought lustre to themselves and their country. those of ground forces and air crews. We in New Zealand were responsible to them all to give everything we had, and to use our initiative and thinking powers in the direction of welding our country in one direction —to organise our country to make the best use of the material and inan power they had left behind. “ We cannot afford to make a mistake,” warned Mr Coates, “ because a mistake means an advantage to the enemy.” Members should make it clear to the people that there was a stern, stiff task ahead, and that no sacrifice was too great to enable New Zealand to present a solid front, using the maximum effort the country could make at that very moment.