Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1939. ADJUSTMENT TO WAR CONDITIONS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1939. ADJUSTMENT TO WAR CONDITIONS.

QOME branches of trrtcle in this country are at present being k restricted to a far greater extent than is made necessary or seems likely to be made necessary by war conditions. New Zealanders have not been thrown into a state of panic by the outbreak of hostilities with Germany, but at the moment something in the nature of an excess of caution is at work in day to day "dealings. It may be supposed and hoped that matters in this respect and others will adjust themselves as the_ country settles down to deal in a practical, and resolute fashion with the task by which it is confronted. One of the most obvious demands of the situation is that productive enterprise should be maintained and as .far as possible extended.

The war is bound to entail sacrifices, including, it is to be feared, some sacrifice of life. New Zealand is already takipg steps to organise an Expeditionary Force though the scale of the military effort it will be called upon to undertake is as yet a. somewhat open question. 'Much must depend upon the development and duration of the war and upon other factors as yet unknown. The Prime Minister of Canada (Mr Mackenzie King) was reported on Saturday as stating that he did not believe conscription was necessary in that Dominion. Britain, he said, had indicated that the despatch of trained Air Force personnel was the most effective and most desirable means of co-operation.

Other forms (Mr. King added) would include economic pressure and regulations imposing a ban on trade with the enemy and controlling enemy shipping and property. Canada would be a souice of supply for much of the materials of wait A determined national effort was necessary to bring agriculture and industry to their highest efficiency.

Much, though not all of this will apply to New Zealand as well as to Canada. Whatever the scale on which its military cooperation may develop, the Dominion plainly is called upon also to maintain its industries—particularly its agricultural industries—at the highest possible level of productivity. It has been stated that Britain is counting upon obtaining from New Zealand and Australia some imports for which she has looked hitherto to Baltic countries.

In the cause to which she is committed with the Mother Country and its allies, New Zealand no doubt will meet with ready loyalty whatever calls are made upon her. With her manhood playing its part in the war, she certainly will not grudge the economic contribution that will also be demanded. J There is no question meantime of attempting to envisage just what the war will mean to New Zealand or to estimate its probable total demands. All that can be done is to meet and deal with conditions as they arise. The point is well worth making, however, that the most essential demand made upon a large proportion of the people of New Zealand is that they should carry on vigorously the productive and other useful activities in which they are habitually engaged.

So long as the war continues, all that is needed for its effective prosecution must constitute a. first charge upon our national resources. .It is also part of an. effective war effort, however, that productive industry and trade should be kept going and as far as may be extended. If a need for drastic economies should become apparent, the common sense and reasonable policy to pursue will be to take stock of our resources and determine wlmt may best be restricted or done without. There appears to be a rather widespread inclination at present, however, to cut down, because war has broken out, on the purchase even of what, ordinarily are regarded as necessaries. This sort of thing is more likely to occasion unemployment and to give rise to other troubles and complications than to serve any useful purpose. The extent to which product ion and trade are maintained during the war period will greatly affect the ability of the Dominion to meet war demands ami bear the burdens entailed. Only by maintaining and increasing production can these burdens be made lighter than they otherwise would be. A high level of production of course implies and requires sustained activity in trade, both external and internal. As far as can be judged at present, it. seems likely that external trade, particularly with Britain, will be well maintained. Britain needs more than ever the products this country can supply and as to enemy interference with trade, the British Ministry of Information has stated that: “The effects of the German submarine campaign will decline rapidly as soon as a full convoy system is introduced and German submarines at present on the high seas run out of supplies.” New Zealanders should recognise that an important pa'i't of the total war effort they are called upon to make is to maintain the highest possible level of activity in production and in trade.