AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT ON LAND, AIR AND SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 93, 19 April 1940, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S EFFORT ON LAND, AIR AND SEA.

GROWING STRENGTH.

Further 49 U.S. Bomber 'Planes To Be Bought NAVY AND ARMY INCREASES. United I're.* Association.—Copyright. (Kecoivod 11.30 a.m.) CANBKRKA, this day. The Prime Minister. Mr. R. G. Menzies, annoniK-cd in the House of Representalives last nijrht thai the Australian War Cabinet ha«l decided to place orders in the I'nited States for 4!l more Lockhre<l Hudson bombers at a t<nal eost ->i £2.277,000.

He said thai at the otilhreak of war the total s-trcnpth of the Australian Air K.n:e wa- approximately 3.MH , . while to-day it exo-'c.U :• hmi. Ah an iy cooperation sauadpn. «a> readv for duty with the Australian force* oxerseas and might l>e dispatched in the near future. Mr. Meiizic* added that twelve ship? 1«HK1 iii.-ii had lieen added to the Australian Navy, while, since the outbreak of war. *]:5S merchant ships had been defensively armed in AustraliaOrders for antisubmarine vessels for ■the British Admiralty had lieen placed in Australia to the maximum of Australia's capacity to build them. War's Most Critical Stage. The Prime Minister emphasised that t lie war had entered a most crucial slajn*. Kvery neutral country in Europe had had its warning that, in effect, it hail no rights, and su<-ce-s of the Allied effort would a»uredly have a tremendous influence npmi th<»c at present wavering in the c-hadow of the third Reich. Mr. Menzies reviewed the military activities of the Commonwealth, and i concluded liy announcing that recruiluij* for the 7th Division would begin in May, " when the total strength of the Corp* 5 with the first reinforcement-* would be 1 approximately 50,000.

BRITISH PURCHASE. Huge Quantities Of Latest American 'Planes. NEW CONTRACTS SIGNED. (Received i..to j>.m.) WASHINGTON*, April IK. l< was announced that the British mission has already purchased "Tiuge quantities" of the latest type of United States military aircraft. It was added that contracts had been signed in New York on Wednesday for unspecified numbers of Curtiss pursuit 'planes and Douglas bombers. A third contract is l>eing conc-lnded for one of the latest tvpes, which was releas-ed on Mundav.