AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 73, 26 March 1923, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE.

KOBE RIFLES WANTED. . . j jjIXRCHANGE Or WARSHIPS. Cs ble.—Press Assoclntioc— Copyright.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) I SIDNEY, this day. T]jf Commonwealth Defence Council ffcommendß nn increase in the supply r pins, ammunition, and oil. It sujrrtts that the T-ithjjow small arms fnc- (.,« should manufacture machine-guns B d revolvers in addition to the quarter .( a million rifles at present produced usually- The Council decided not to increase" the training of the military farcM- Civil aviation should be encourjced afld the military air fo'rve kept up t<, the standard. It Is proposed to approach the British Admiralty with a view to launching a (cheine for the interchange of vessels of (be Australian and Imperial fleets in the jfediterranean ami Atlantic waters, (hough it is acknowledged that difficulty ,vj]l be experien cd in providing oil fuel for British vessels during ehort periods. Xhe Council emphasises the necessity for (siablishing oil depots along the coast for naval purposes The "Sydney Morning Herald" states {bat it is probable that this year when the Naval Estimates are considered, jjorts will bo made to reinstate the submarine flotilla which, when the present j (stimates were framed were placed in teserve, in its plnce in the Australian Jfavy. It is proposed to establish a seaplane base at Rusheutters Bay, and it i also proposed to replace many of the marine flotilla, which, when the present pieces being regarded as obsolete. The "Herald ,, says that the Henderson naval base scheme is now considered obsolete.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)