✨ Parliamentary Opening Statement
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY.
Published by Authority.
WELLINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1943.
THE Fifth Session of the Twenty-sixth Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened by the Governor-General, when His Excellency was pleased to make the following statement of the causes of the calling of this Session of Parliament together:—
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,—
When last I addressed you the British Commonwealth and its Allies were preparing to meet, with what resources could be made available at short notice, the first overwhelming flood of Japanese aggression.
By the gallant resistance particularly of American and Australian forces, with whom New Zealand naval and air units have been closely and effectively associated in action, that flood, which spread far and wide and most grievously damaged Allied interests in this part of the world, has now been stemmed, and appears to be receding.
It is not only in the Pacific that most promising and heartening results have been achieved. In the Middle East the enemy have been thrown out of Libya and Tripolitania, and in this victorious campaign the New Zealand troops have again played a memorable part, of which the whole Dominion is justifiably proud. The landing in North Africa of British and American forces has rapidly cleared all but a small portion of that area from Axis influence, while in Europe the invading hordes of Germany and her satellites have met with a military defeat of huge and as yet incalculable magnitude at the hands of the heroic Russians.
Though the way will still, no doubt, be long and hard, with many stern struggles to meet and heavy difficulties to overcome, my Ministers are convinced, from the developments of the last few months and from the information at their disposal, that, if every effort continues to be bent to this great task, the end is certain and may not be as distant as previously appeared to be probable. On all fronts the Allies have now been able to abandon the defensive strategy that was forced upon them in the early stages of the war, and to prepare for a general attack on the aggressors. The momentous meeting at Casablanca between President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill and their advisers has been welcomed by my Government as an occasion of profound significance for the course and conduct of the war. The year 1943 will, it is confidently expected, be one of wide Allied offensives.
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VUW Te Waharoa —
NZ Gazette 1943, No 9
NZLII —
NZ Gazette 1943, No 9
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🏛️ Opening Statement of the Fifth Session of the Twenty-sixth Parliament
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration24 February 1943
Parliament, Session Opening, Governor-General, World War II, Allied Forces, Military Campaigns
- Governor-General