CONTRIBUTION BY AUSTRALIA

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13436, 26 April 1944, Page 5

CONTRIBUTION BY AUSTRALIA

OPERATIONS IN NEW GUINEA

Reference By Curtin

Japanese Losses in the South-west Pacific

London, April 2 5

The operations in New Guinea were referred to by the Australian Prime Minister. Mr Curtin, when he spoke to a Press conference at Washington yesterday. He said that although Australian troops had not taken part in the landings at Hollandia, Australia had

made a great contribution to the actions which made the landings possible. Mr Cuvtin estimated that the Japanese losses in the South-west Pacific to date were over 100,0 0 0 men, between 140 and 155 warships, more than 200 merchantmen and something like 50 0 0 aircraft. He said that victory over Japan could only be won by the combined efforts of sea, land and air forces and pointed out that the use of Australia as a base had a direct bearing on the protection of the west coast of America. Mr Curtin, who is on his way to the meeting of Dominion Prime Ministers in Britain, said he thought it very important that members of the British Commonwealth of Nations should get together often to discuss their problems. He mentioned the prospect of emigration from Britain, the United States and other Allied countries to Australia.

Dealing with post-war aviation the Australian Prime Minister said the view of his country was that there should be an international way authority on which all countries were represented.