PRODUCTION OF MUNITIONS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23300, 9 April 1941, Page 8

PRODUCTION OF MUNITIONS

GROWTH IN AUSTRALIA

INDUSTRY TO ABSORB 150,000 (F.0.0.C.) SYDNEY, April 1. Munitions valued at about £36,000,000 will be produced in Australia during the current financial year. In the same period the Department of Munitions proposes an expenditure of £15,500,000 upon machinery and plant, buildings and works, and reserves of raw materials. . . „ . Announcing this, the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Fadden, said that, for the equipment of the Army, munitions factories and annexes in all states were being employed. It was estimated that by June, about 80,000 persons would be employed producing munitions, and about 70,000 more would be producing materials for munitions.

"When we recall that, during the peak period of the last war, we had 2737 people employed in munition production, we can gauge the almost in-, credible progress that has been made," said Mr Faddcn. "The establishment of annexes has enabled Australia to marshal the resources of private industry to a very great extent. So far, more than 40 annexes are in production, and 20 more are being brought into commission, “With the outbreak of this war, Australia found herself equipped with two huge modern iron and steel plants, capable of meeting our vital needs. The combined output of these plants is more than 1,500,000 tons of refined steel a year. The equipment and plant at Newcastle alone has cost more than £20,000,000.” Mr Fadden said great developments were taking place in South Australia, where the Broken Hill Proprietary had almost completed a modern iron blast furnace to smelt local ore; Simultaneously, new Government-owned munitions factories were being erected which would provide almost a complete duplication of existing plants.