SPECIAL FORCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 219, 16 September 1939, Page 9

SPECIAL FORCE.

20,000 VOLUNTEERS.

Arrangements For Enlistment

In Australia

EXPENDITURE FOR WAR. Cnitcd Tress Association.—Copyright. (Received 0.30 a.in.) CANBERRA, this day. I lie Federal Cabinet lias decided to raise immediately a special volunteer force of at least 20,000 men for service at home or abroad. The enlistment and training of this force will not interfere with the present plans for the intensified training of the militia which has already been recruited.

Tlie Cabinet also decided to increase defence expenditure from £33.000,000 to £45.000.000 for this vear.

Tn a broadcast speech the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, confirmed the Government's intention to enlist the force for service at borne or abroad, as circumstances permit. He said their services would be availed of for the duration of the war. preference being givpn to single men not occupying essential or key jobs.

Mr. Menzies added that these men might be used for the defence of Australia or be. garrisoned in the Pacific, or might even be used in co-operation with Now Zealand at Singapore.

Mr. Menzies also announced that 80,000 voluntary militia recruited some time ago will be called up in two successive drafts for one month's training. Supplementary Taxation. ''It- might even be practicable to send an expeditionary force to Europe," concluded Mr. Menzies. The Assistant-Treasurer, Mr. J. A. Perkins detailing Commonwealth supplementary taxation in the House of Representatives announced a further increase in the company tax, bringing it to 2/ in the £, and also a war-time goldmining profit tax of 75 per cent on the price of gold over £9 (Australian currency) a fine ounce. The company and goldmining profit taxes will together yield £2,500,000 for the remainder of 1939-40.

NO OVERSEAS TROOPS.

Attitude Of Australian

Labour Party. REPEL ANY INVADER. (Received 1.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. A special meeting of the executive of the Australian Labour Party held to lay down Labour's war policy endorsed the view* that "Australia cannot afford to send troops abroad, and can best help by preserving her manhood to repel a foreign invader."

DOMINION EFFORTS

HEARTENING TO BRITAIN. (Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, September 15. '1 he Ministry of Information gives prominence to the details of New Zealand's and Australia's war preparations, and states: "The trend of feeling in the two great southern Dominions becomes more and more heartening to the people at Home."