ALL PREPARED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 203, 29 August 1939, Page 7

ALL PREPARED.

IF WAR COMES.

AUSTRALIA'S PLANS.

VITAL POINTS GUARDED.

EX-AVCXLANDER'I MESSAGE.

Written by a former Aucklander shortly before the departure of the transtasman flying boat Aotearoa. from Sydney yesterday, the following account of Australia's preparations to defend herself in the event of war was handed t6 Captain Burgess, who. on his arrival at Auckland, made it available to the "Star. Telling the story of Australian happenings only 24 hours old, this message is the forerunner of what will shortly be a regular service, bringing "Star" readers into closer touch than ever with news and views across the Tasman.

"This Monday morning, as the Aoteafoa takes off from Rose Bay base for Auckland, it leaves behind it a city with Only one thought—ls it war? The question is on everybody's lips; in their efforts to answer it newspapers are giving almost a 24-hour day service, and broadcasting services are interpolating news in their programmes whenever it comes to hand.

"Australia and New South Wales are, In fact, already in a state of war preparedness. By Saturday 12,000 of the 40,000 people enrolled in the National Emergency Service had been called up, and the others warned to be ready for service. Since then a continual guard by police and emergency squads has wn maintained on bridges, power houses, telephone exchanges, dame, reservoirs and pipelines, gas plant#, Mprol depots and every factory which • listed to be turned into a munitions factory in the event of war.

"The smoothness and rapidity with Which these and other precautions were

taken have proved the value of the carefully laid plans against the possibility of war or other national emergency. Police are now guarding both ends of the Harbour Bridge, and constantly patrolling on the decking, while underneath water jtolice launches keep constantly on the move. Kight police and maritime services launches are also constantly patrolling the harbour generally, but no one stopped the only German steamer in .Sydney, the Ijahn, from suddenly up-anchoring and steaming out to sea late on Friday night. When the South Head station signalled her for her name it was bright moonlight, and every ship and look-out in the harbour knew well that it was the Lnhn that was leaving. But she ignored the winking signals from the station and put to sea without clearance papers or a pilot, which are both Federal offences. Barbed Wire on Bridge. "On the Hawkesbury bridge, the main route to the north and Queensland, the Railway Department has erected barbed wire barricade's at both ends to keep people out, and launches are patrolling below. Sydney's £5,000,000 power plant at Bunnerong is guarded by powerful floodlights, specially installed, as well as by a continuous human guard, and no one is allowed in without a permit. Neither is anyone allowed any longer to stroll on to the wharves, which are also under guard. The dams and pipelines, which run into the country for several miles above ground, on which Sydney depends for its water, are also being strongly and continuously guarded.

"All police leave has been cancelled, police on leave recalled and country police ordered to Sydney for these urgent duties, and 150 recruits in training hurriedly sworn in. The well-known sight of policemen wandering around town booking up cars for parking has suddenly disappeared. Forty special constables I were sent by taxi to Port Kembla, where the steel works are now strongly guarded, and no one is allowed in without being searched. The vital steal industry of Newcastle is also being safeguarded. Arrangements have been completed for the evacuation if necessary of all school children from Sydney to the i country.

The Commonwealth is just as prepared. On Friday night regulations were (Jaaette under the Defence Act giving the Commonwealth powers which a dicta-

tor might almost envy, but they will not be applied, of course, unless necessary. The Government can requisition goods or vehicles, ships or aircraft, land or any undertaking for defence purposes or to maintain essential supplies or services. It can order the registration of aliens or their internment, and can order hotels and boardinghouses to keep a register of their alien lodgers and their movements. Other Stringent Powers. "In addition to these wide powers which it has taken by regulations, the Commonwealth Government has only to declare the existence of a danger of war to invest it with other stringent powers. It could call up the militia, establish •< complete censorship over all means of communication, newspapers, broadcasting. films, photographs. Officers and seamen of the merchant service would be transferred to the Navy, the export of essential or war supplies would be prohibited and foodstuffs commissions would be set up to control the export to Britain.

"The Commonwealth has already acted under its powers of requisition. On Friday it suddenly commandeered the flying-boat Cooee in Sydney and two airliners in Melbourne, stripped them of their passenger accommodation, and sent them to Darwin carrying 29 anti-aircraft gunners. The Minister of Defence even has power now by regulation to enforce the curfew anywhere he may consider it necessary."