CANADA IN WAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 165, 15 July 1941, Page 2

CANADA IN WAR

EMPIRE ARSENAL TREMEXDOUS CONTRIBUTION' Facts and figures relating t i the magnitude of Canada's contribution to the Empire war effort and the development of the sister Dominion as the arsenal of the Kmpire were given to members of the Auckland Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon yesterday in Milne and Choyce's reception hall by Dr. W. A. Riddell, the newly-appointed High Commissioner for Canada in New Zealand. Dr. Riddell explained how Canada had become a very important arsenal of the Empire and how her industries had been turned over in part or whole to war work. He gave figures as to the quantities of munitions being turned out, and said

that one factory alone was producing bombs for aircraft at a rate sufficient to enable 70 tons of bombs to be dropped on Germany every night of the year. War vehicles, including ambulances, were being manufactured at the rate of over 400 a day, and most of the men engaged in the African campaign were rolling along •on Canadan vehicles. A programme of the magnitude being undertaken by Canada placed a heavy burden on labour and material resources, but it was being faced. The Dominion had been fortunate in haying had very little trouble with strikes, particularly in munition industries. Part of this was due to capable leadership both in employers and employees' organisations. Dr. Riddell explained that Canada had a wheat problem which was parallel to that of New Zealand with respect to meat. There were 500,000,000 bushels in store, with the prospect of another good wheat crop. However, at the end of the war this would be most valuable to pour into hungry Europe, together with the produce from New Zealand.