SERVICE ZONE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 29, 4 February 1943, Page 5

SERVICE ZONE

FORCES OVERSEAS Mr. Curtin On Duty To Defend Australia 'N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright Rec. 10 a.m. CANBERRA, this day. "I consider it a fallacy to suggest that small nations like Australia, confronted with the problem of defending a large continent and with a small population, should be expected, when faced with a life and death struggle in their own region, to send forces to other theatres."

This statement was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, when he moved the second reading of the Defence Bill, which defines the area in which Australian militia forces may serve, in the House of Representatives last night.

Replying to the criticism that the zone of service excluded Malaya, Mr. Curtin said the Australian forces were assigned to General Mac Arthur,. who was conducting the campaign in the South-west Pacific area, while Field-Marshal Wavell (Commander-in-Chief in India) was running the campaign in another area which embraced Malaya.

Mr. Curtin said that originally it was the desire both ,of the Australian and New Zealand Governments that their countries should be in one strategic zone, but New Zealand and other islands to the east of Australia were included in the South Pacific area.

Members of tne Commonwealth Government are concerned because American. critics of the use of Australian militia look upon the allocation of specified areas of service.as a limitation rather than an extension of the use of home forces. They point out that the militia is only a small proportion of Australia's armed forces. It is felt that sufficient emphasis has not been placed abroadL onithe fact that the Australian. Imperial Force can, and will, if required, serve in any theatre of war.