Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1941. THE NAZIS IN FRANCE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1941. THE NAZIS IN FRANCE.

QNCE again there are'predictions of imminent action by theNazis to strengthen their hold on France and forward their schemes for gaining control of French Africa. Amongst other things, Ilitler and his gang are reported to be demanding the return of Laval to the Vichy Cabinet and another story is that Ilitler may support a coup for Ihc overthrow of the Petain administration. The best reason for doubting whether there is much in these predictions is that the Nazis have had no difficulty in extracting from the Vichy Cabinet as it stands all that they desired. Marshal Petain, it is true, is still permitted to babble about the defence of the French Empire and about honour forbidding France to take any action against her former allies, but in Syria and again in Tndo-China the men of Vichy obediently did what their Nazi taskmasters told them Io do. The ignominious facts were summed up not long ago by I\l. Maurice Dejean, who was a leading official in the Eeynaud Government, in an article in “France.” Of the readiness of the men of Vichy to do Hitler’s bidding, Al. Dejean wrote: — They have handed over Syria because it was necessary to save the rebels in Iraq for the service of Hitler. Tomorrow they will deliver up Tunisia because it will be necessary in order to help the German army in Libya. Then they will deliver up Morocco and Dakar because Germany needs them to improve her position in the Battle of the Atlantic. Fortunately Vichy treason in Syria failed to serve its intended purpose and the added infamy of the surrender of ludo-China. may also be inconclusive. Obviously, however, any element of security in regard io French North and West. Africa must depend primarily upon) the ability of the Allies, in whose organisation the Free French forces have an honourable place, to take effective action to that end.

A TASMANIAN EXAMPLE.

ACCORDING to the New York “.Journal of Commerce,” Aus-

tralia’s newest industrial venture, the product ion of newsprint paper from local hardwood recently begun in Tasmania, bids fair to develop into one of the Commonwealth's most important industries. More especially in view of the need for industrial expansion that most certainly will appear, whether it is destined to be satisfied or not, in the post-war period, it should be well worth while to consider whether this Tasmanian enterprise might not he paralleled in New Zealand.

It is true that we have not the population and.the consequent. magnitude of local demand for commodities like newsprint, that exist in the Commonwealth. In the right conditions of development, however —conditions which imply a great deal more than an unlimited extension of public works—-our population will expand apace. In all other respects this country probably is better placed than any part of Australia to undertake the production of newsprint. In addition to fair existing supplies of timber, we have, as one great asset, soil and climatic conditions unsurpassed in the world for the production of continuing supplies of timber.

There are parts of Hie Dominion, notably on the West Coast of the South Island, where ample supplies of timber could be provided and maintained and could be dealt with economically in handy juxtaposition to deep water berthage, and where virtually unlimited supplies of hydro-electric power could also be drawn unon.

In Tasmania, the first 100 tons per day unit of a 400 tons per day newsprint plant has been installed at Boyer, in the Derwent Valley and a beginning has thus been made in the manufacture of newsprint from Australian timbers. It may be doubted whether Tasmania is better placed than New Zealand, taking everything into account, to undertake Ibis noteworthy enterprise, but in common with other Australian Stales—even Western Australia —Tasmania has left well behind it the days in which it was content to be told that the expansion of manufacturing industry was beyond its scope and powers and that it must be content in great part to import manufactures from countries of greater population, more highly industrialised. It is more than time for New Zealand to achieve a similar emancipation.