UNITED EMPIRE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 140, 14 May 1940, Page 8

UNITED EMPIRE

MESSAGE FROM MR CHURCHILL. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 13. The Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) has received the following telegram from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Mr Winston Churchill): “On accepting His Majesty’s invitation to fill the office of Prime Minister I send you my warmest greetings. A great responsibility lias fallen to mo at this critical hour, but its weight is lightened by the sure knowledge that I can rely oil your jvhole-hearted support and that of the other Prime Min-, asters of overseas Dominions. The people of the British Commonwealth of Nations are once again united in arms against tyranny and barbarism. Together we shall suffer and strive, together we shall preserve, and the gates shall not be shut on freedom and justice.” To this telegram Mr Fraser replied, inter alia: “I have noted with great interest your assumption of office of Prime Minister and the formation of a new Government on a wide political basis, and I wish at once to assure you of the fullest measure l of co-operation from the Government and people of New Zealand, European and Maori alike. You may rely entirely upon our sympathetic understanding and our wholehearted support in all measures necessary to bring this struggle to an early and successful conclusion. At this time particularly, when the enemy’s forces have at last been fully unleashed, tve can confidently rely on the determination of our people throughout the British Commonwealth, which is never stronger than in a crisis such as this, o.n the justice of our cause, and on our efforts, undertaken as they are by our freewill to release ourselves and the world for all time- from the threat of domination by brutal forces directed with unrelenting cruelty.” >