The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, June 8, 1943. WESTLAND’S LOAN QUOTA.

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, June 8, 1943. WESTLAND’S LOAN QUOTA.

The formal opening last even-) ing of the Third Liberty Loan ( campaign has more than one meaning, but the main one was, briefly stated by Mr. Nash when he said that if our defenders must fight, we on the home front, must, pay .Another way, equally right, in which it can be put is toi say that the thirty-five millions now being raised are a thanks offering now that victory is a moral certainty. The attitude of the enemy is the best guarantee of that. Again, there is the fact, that the amount of flic loan is probably equal to the amount of. surplus spending power in. the country to-day. Why it is so is simply because the amount of things that can be bought is exceeded to that extent by the amount of money that could be spent upon the goods in question, it will decrease the supply if the surplus money is splashed upon that supply. Some people will soon go short of necessities, and sooner or later everybody must, go short. But the sanest view of the matter is that of gratitude for all of the suffering and loss which those in New Zealand have been spared—spared because others abroad have risked and sacrificed all they had, even their lives, so that the cause of freedom should be, as it is to-day, vindicated, and destined once again to triumph in the end. Otherwise our latest Budget could by no stretch, of imagination have been one in which new taxation is conspicious ty its absence. The Government is abundantly justified. by the past dimensions of their Avar effort in putting it up to New Zealanders to make their I present, Avar effort as entirely voluntary and as little compulsory as it can] possibly be made. This, however, means that none may forget the slogan wherewith the Dominion entered upon -its Avar effort. It was very brief, but very much to the point. All in! Nobody need imagine that all who can afford substantial lending to the nation in its extreme need are escaping their obligation. They are not. But there is a great host of other people who are able to make contributions that are well. Avorth while, and that, if all respond. will. ensure the quick and memorable success of this, the greatest single financial effort this country has ever undertaken. Just now historians review what they call the miracle of .Dunkirk, ami the miracle itself was the steadfastness and fortitude of soul that enabled the defenders and people of Britain —the distinction is doubtful, for they al! turned themselves into actual defenders—to line up, after the first defeat, in a solid phalanx. . and give the whole world an example of the way in which to defy tyranny and. aggression. Surely, then, the dedication of money to carry that stand to its logical conclusion is not too much for New Zealanders. Not only are they relatively prosperous in the midst of. Avar, but so far are they fortunately placed from actual warfare that they can now view the future with comparative equanimity. The Avar, indeed, is by no means won, but it is in the way of being Avon because the United Nations have by their material resources, as well as their moral courage, outstayed the enemy, and need only a continued Uoav of financial backing to finish off the enemy. Incidentally the West Coast is asked to find less than half a million, or less than one pound for every seventy-five found by the rest of the country. | It should prove fully equal to the i call. <