YOUTH MAKING HISTORY

Southland Times, Issue 24232, 16 September 1940, Page 6

YOUTH MAKING HISTORY

l BRITAIN’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM COURAGEOUS EXPLOITS OF AIRMEN (Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, September 14. The stirring times in which we live, and the opportunities they offer to modern youth to contribute to the future of the Empire, were stressed by the Minister of Finance, the Hon; W. Nash, speaking at the Wellington City Mission Fair in the Town Hall. The youth of the - Dominion could look forward to an amazing future, he | said. They had come into the world |at the most interesting and critical ! period of its entire history. They en- | joyed unprecedented opportunities of ! making a contribution to its future. A great heritage of pluck and patriotism was being made now for the youth of the British Commonwealth in the future. The whole British race was being remoulded in the terrific fires of war. All could be confident of the outcome, and would have quiet opportunity again to build where enemies of progress had laboured only to destroy. The future was with youth. Their elders must do everything within their power to strengthen their hands. He believed the youth of today had in them something great and noble which would enable them to win. They would build a nation; the world would be a better place for what they would have given to it. There was nothing in the world today that could defeat a purpose founded on the Christian faith. NO GREATER ISSUE “Never had a greater issue been at stake than now,” he said. “But on the I evidence of the past three months, we will win. We will win, not exclusively because of the might of our Air Force, or our Navy, or Army, but because we are fighting for the right.” Mr Nash said he was proud to be a member of the British Empire, and the Dominion of New Zealand, at this moment. He described the courageous exploits of the young New Zealanders who had gone Home to join the Royal Air Force. When the German bombers came over, they went up to meet them one against three, and destroyed three and a-half German planes for every British plane the Germans shot down. They were able to do this because they belonged to a free people who could never be regimented, but who had come together in a solid block to fight the greatest menace the world had ever known.

Never in history had there been a greater pageant than in England now, the pageant of a little country fighting for its life with a courage surpassing anything in history. New Zealanders might emulate but could not hope to surpass the calm courage with which the people of the East End of London had faced the bombings of the past few days, and he referred to the fine example of the King and Queen in helping to sustain the courage of the common people.