TASK FOR ALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1941, Page 5

TASK FOR ALL

ASSISTING THE COUNTRY’S WAR EFFORT NO ONE WHO CANNOT MAKE SOME SACRIFICE. I HIS EXCELLENCY’S ADDRESS , AT CIVIC RECEPTION. | I The need for everyone to do his utmost to assist the country’s war effort was emphasised yesterday by the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, in an address at lhe civic reception tendered to their Excellencies at the Masterton Municipal Hall. Stating that it was now a few days over seven months since he and Lady Newall had arrived in this beautiful country, his Excellency said that everywhere they had been the people had been very kind to them and already they felt very much at home. He could assure them very definitely that the welcome given to them that day showed clearly that Masterton was no exception to the rule. His Worship had made mention of the foundation of Masterton. It was to that great early pioneer, Joseph Masters, that Masterton owed so much. It was a wonderful thing when they remembered that Joseph Masters took four days to come to Masterton from Wellington, with the aid of a bullock; that in later days a road was built—and coaches used tc get blown off the road- —while today, so much had the district developed that there was now a magnificent highway. which enabled them to leave Wellington at 9.30 a.m. and reach Masterton in two hours, with little fear ol being blown off the road, and to spend a pleasant time in the town of Masterton and return to Wellington for dinner. With all the advantages they had around, them now it helped them tc look back and pay credit to those pioneers who had worked' so hard for this country, and by that work, in which they put high principles and spirit, they had made these advantages available to the present generation. There were others equally deserving of credit besides Joseph Masters hundreds of them —who played a part in the early days of Masterton. He could see one sitting in front of him bearing the name of Bannister (applause), who fully deserved mention in the early work connected with Masterton and long might he continue to enjoy the benefits which he had helped to produce. FINE AIRMEN. “I thank you very much indeed for your references to my service in the R.A.F.,” said his Excellency. “There is no one who knows better than I do how many New Zealanders are serving in the R.A.F. and how magnificently they have done. I have been in the R.A.F. for a good many years and 1 can assure you. if when considering personnel, it is stated that the lad is a New Zealander, it is taken for granted that he is a good, stout-hearted fellow capable of doing any job given to him and of doing it well” (applause). Mr Lee, Sir Cyril went on to state, had asked he and Lady Newall to visit the Solway Show next February. He had one definite rule, never to make any engagements himself but only through his staff. He would be delighted to come but at the moment he did not know what his programme would be. If he possibly could come, he and her Excellency would certainly be there (applause). His Excellency said he and Lady Newall had been looking forward to this visit ever since, early in March of this year, at one of the first luncheons they had been tendered in New Zealand, they had met the Mayor of Masterton, Mr Jordan, who was presiding at the Municipal Conference being held in Auckland at the time. On that occasion he had said he would refer to the war in every speech he would make in New Zealand. He was not going to break that resolution now and he was sure they would not wish him to do so. WAR FOREMOST. “The war must at all times be foremost in our thoughts,” said Sir Cyril. “It must regulate our actions while working and during our leisure. The whole future of the Dominion, the I British Empire and of democracy I throughout the world depended on our victory. We simply must win the war and will win (loud applause) not only for our sakes but for the sakes of our children and their children (applause). Our heritage as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations is a sacred trust and in due course we will be called upon to render an account of our stewardship. We must see to it that when that time comes no one can reproach us for having failed in our duty to avoid all possibility of such reproach. We must each one of us ensure that we are doing everything we can to win the war. It may seem that there is very little that some of us can do. We are far from the front line here at present but there is no one who cannot help in some way or the other, no one who cannot make some sacrifice of money, time or personal ambition or prejudice to help in the 1 common cause. Above all, we must all remember that it is a common cause, that we must all work together with one aim in view, the destruction of the evil things we are fighting and the foundation of a real and enduring peace. And should these islands ever be attacked and it is by no means impossible, we must all be prepared mentally and physically to play our parts to the full without thought for ourselves but only for our country. I pray that this may never happen and if it does not, the precautions we have taken and the preparations we have made will not have been in vain—they will have proved once more that the powers of willing co-operation made by free people are a much stronger weapon than any which a slave-driv-ing dictator can amass.” PEOPLES’ RESPONSIBILITY. His Excellency went on to state that there was something else, too, in which they must all play a part. He had said that they were fighting this war for their children’s sake and when they had won the war it was the duty of the children not only to lay the foundations of peace but to build on those foundations a structure which would withstand such storms which would rage around it. For many years to come, after the war had finished, a lot of people might have thoughts of revenge and it was their responsibility to see to it that the children of today ! were prepared for the vast responsibilities which they must shoulder when they grew up. They must be taught ; that the privileges of citizenship of . New Zealand and of the Empire en-

tailed a recognition of their duty to their fellow citizens, that personal success should not be their sole ambition, that happiness could never be measured in material terms alone. Every grown u'p person could help in this, for example was the strongest influence on children. For those who came into the closest contact with the boys and girls of today, for the schoolmaster and mistress and also for the parents and elder brothers and sisteis, here was not only an apparent but an imperative duty, to prove themselves worthy of their heritage. Many of the finest young men in New Zealand, including many from Masterton, were serving in the Navy. Army. Air Foice and Merchant Navy. Some of them would never return. They, would have made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of all of those left behind. •When the rest came home, they must be able to greet them with the certainty that they had left nothing undone that could have made their lot. easier of their victory. It would be intoleiable if they had any cause to think that those at home had let them down. As Pericle said to the citizens of Athens many centuries ago: “Be zealous to emulate them and judging that happiness is freedom and freedom valour be forward to encounter the sacrifice of war” (applause.) Mr Jordan expressed his pleasure of the welcome given to their Excellencies who were given three hearty cheers.