FORWARD MOVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 142, 17 June 1940, Page 8

FORWARD MOVES.

IN AUSTRALIA

Plans For Large Home Defence

Force.

OUTPUT OF MUNITIONS

United Prese Association.—Copyright.

(Received noon.) MELBOURNE, this day. The Commonwealth Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, in a broadcast statement last night stated that a home defence force of 250,000 would be formed in Australia. This would be achieved by an extension of militia training.

The Government will make it possible for those unable at present to undergo military training, owing to responsibilities, to do a three months' course of militia training for home defence.

Parliament on Thursday will consider legislation similar to the National Security Acta in Britain and New Zealand. It will give the Government complete power over the people's services, property and manpower except for conscription for service abroad. However, the powers will be so wide that the Government will be able to conscript within 48 hours for home defence.

The Government would take power, said Mr. Menzies, to impose whatever taxation was necessary to supplement the war effort. It would go to the length of almost financial collapse, as he considered financial collapse was preferable to national destruction. The Government would take power to tell employers and employees what to do la the national effort. "Not of Surrendering Breed." "The great advantage of the home defence scheme is that the creation and transportation of the A.I.F. will not be permitted to weaken Australia's defences," said Mr. Menzies.

"This is essential because whatever calamity might occur elsewhere the nation that wants to conquer us must come and take us. We do not come of a surrendering breed.

"At any one time between 30,000 and 50,000 members of the A.I.F. will be available in Australia as an effective part of the home defence forcea.

"Far-reaching regulations have been made in relation to the new munitions department. Among other things they will enable the Director-General, Mr. Essington Lewis, to requisition or eompulsorily acquire any property which he thinks necessary for the maximum munitions effort."

The statement concluded that the Government would welcome the fullest co-operation of everyone, especially of trade unions, in its endeavours.

The Prime Minister has announced that an emergency meeting of the Federal Parliament will be held on Thursday to deal with a bill to give the Government wide emergency powers to use every available resource of manpower and industry if necessary for home defence, says a Canberra" message.

Except that there will be no conscription for overseas service, the measure will give the Government powers similar to those obtained in Britain. Parliament will meet only for two days.

A message from Melbourne states that the Director-Genera! of Information, Sir Keith Murdoch, has announced that Australia is to begin the immediate production of £50,000,000 worth of munitions and that 150,000 men and women will be engaged in the scheme.