MUCH IMPROVED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1943, Page 3

MUCH IMPROVED

NEW ZEALAND’S DEFENSIVE POSITION

BUT DANGER OF ATTACK NOT PAST.

PREMIER’S SURVEY OF POLICY & ADMINISTRATION.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

“New Zealand’s defensive position has improved considerably since last Easter. The success of our Allies in the Pacific and the corresponding losses of the enemy have marked a lessening of the immediate menace to our shores, but it is clear from information about Japanese forces in the South-West Pacific that the danger is not past, though strong Pacific bases, established supply routes, accumulations of equipment and a great edifice of armed strength today minimise the danger of any arbitrary reversal of fortune,” said the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in presenting the report of the Parliamentary Labour Party at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington yesterday. Mr Fraser was given an ovation by the delegates. The report’ included a detailed summary of the measures taken by the Government to meet the emergency conditions created by the war, particular reference being made to the difficulties in industrial manpower caused by the nature of the military effort, the introduction of regulations to secure priority of war industries and essential services, and the measures to control prices. The report also reviewed output, gratification being expressed that increases had been recorded in most essential commodities.

Mr Fraser said that in certain industries the proportion of output available for civilian use had decreased despite the increased output. As an instance, he mentioned that in 1940-41 the proportion of woollen piece goods available to civilians was 54 per cent, and in 1942 it was only 15 per cent. “Fortunately the supply position of New Zealand woollen goods for civilians is likely to improve this year, but difficulties with many other commodities must inevitably be accentuated,” he said. “New Zealand is a foodproducing country, yet we may even have to institute rationing of some commodities of which we never dreamt it possible that we should go short.

“I cannot emphasise too strongly that our local supply difficulties can only be understood against the background of the war situation as a whole. Shortage of shipping is the most serious obstacle to the speedy victory of the United Nations. It is to save shipping that we are feeding tens of thousands of American troops based in the Pacific. “In some instances this may involve a very real inconvenience to the civilian population, but it would be deplorable and disastrous if we avoided that inconvenience at the cost of prolonging the war and betrayed our forces overseas and our allies who are giving their lives for our freedom. If we can save valuable shipping as we are doing by providing food, supplies and materials of war for the forces in the Pacific, the tightening of our belts will have been worth while. We have already provided 18,000,000 eggs, 6,000,000 pounds of butter, 38,000.000 pounds of meat. In addition to all this, we have our obligations to send as much food as possible to Great Britain. We have been set an enormous target, yet in spite of our increased production I doubt if we can meet all the calls that are made upon us.” EXTENSION OF CONTROLS. “With so many essential goods in short supply we have to bring in more and more controls with the object of ensuring the most equitable distribution having regard to the special needs of various groups of people and the priorities necessary for the conduct of the war. The task of devising and administering the multitude of controls to achieve the desired results, while at the same time preserving the existing structure of industry, has imposed a great strain on our administrative resources.

“It should not be necessary to plead for understanding of the need for restrictions to meet fundamental difficulties caused by the war, but many people, particularly those whose individual privileges and freedom are curtailed, are quick to attribute the difficulties to the restrictions, whereas the restrictions are only imposed in the interests of the people as a whole to prevent the chaos which would result if unbalanced economic forces were allowed to develop unchecked.”

TRANSITION TO PEACE. Referring to the policy with which the Government proposed to face the transition from war to peace, Mr Fraser said that along with the rehabilitation of the returned soldier the Government aimed to prevent the sort of slump which in the past had been the inevitable aftermath of war. “If millions can be spent in order that we may win the war, then the people of the Dominion have every right to assume and to expect that money will be provided for the costs of peace. If democracy can organise itself to wage war successfully it should organise itself equally well to give work and security to every citien and that is what this Government pledges itself to do. “It is the Government’s intention to carry on where it left off in the days before the war to achieve what is no idle dream —the abolition of want and the achievement of even-handed social justice. Freedom from want is one of the four freedoms which the United Nations offer to the world. Such an objective is neither impracticable nor need it be long, delayed.

“Never again must society be disfigured by the spectre of widespread unemployment and poverty —such disfigurements are inexcusable and what is more important, they have now become avoidable. Every citizen has an acknowledged right to work, a right to a minimum wage, and a right to adequate food, clothing and shelter, to medical care and provision for his old age. In short, he has a right to social security which is the keynote of this Government’s policy.”