NEW ZEALAND’S WAR EFFORT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21225, 23 September 1940, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND’S WAR EFFORT

Mr Adam Hamilton’s stern reminder that New Zealand cannot afford to relax its war effort, but that it must, on the contrary, do much more yet, serves to emphasise the frequent warnings of the Government that this is no time for half-measures. New Zealand is already spending over £IOO,OOO every day on its war programme, and it is safe to say that that expenditure is not begrudged by any man. In common with the rest of the Empire, New Zealand would rather spend every penny of its wealth and exert every ounce of its energy than submit to Nazi rule. And those are the only alternatives. New Zealand’s expenditure is already enormous for so small a population, but so long as the people are assured when they pay their taxes and levies that they are striking a blow for freedom they will pay willingly to their limit of necessity or ability. For that reason the Government has the heavy responsibility of assuring that these heavy taxes are not being expended needlessly on projects which are not directed towards the main objective. Certain expenditures were authorised in the Budget which could scarcely be described as part of the war effort, and it is the bounden duty of the Government to spare that expenditure wherever possible even in the period between Budgets. One hundred thousand pounds a day is, after all, not the major part of the total expenditure. Mr Hamilton gives an emphatic assurance that the War Cabinet is functioning efficiently and amicably. “The question I ask is,” he said, “do the mass of the people of New Zealand, as well as their leaders, yet realise the extreme urgency of the necessity? I fear sometimes that we who are far from the conflict are a little apt to continue the pleasure-loving peace-time tempo in thought and action today.” Thus the challenge is thrown back to the public. People are prone to ask whether the War Cabinet is doing its duty, as it has every right to ask, but at the same time the question comes back to the individual. There are thousands of proud people in New Zealand today who can answer, “Yes, I am doing my duty.”