AUSTRALIANS IN PACIFIC

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24535, 7 April 1945, Page 8

AUSTRALIANS IN PACIFIC

ALLEGED LACK OF EQUIPMENT

MINISTER TO VISIT AREA

(Special Australian Corresp., N.ZJ’.A.J (Kec. 11 p.m.) April fc. Austraaas Acting-Minister ol the Army (senator eraser; has left vto visit isiana operational areas in wnigo Australian units are righting. TJuS rips been announced ny tne wime Minister (Mr Lurnnj.

mtnougn Mr Curtin made no comment., on tne purpose oi Senator Fraser’s tour, it is believed the Minister desires to be able to present to Parliament a statement on tne Australian lorces' island warfare equipment based on personal investigation oy a member ox tne caoinet. serious allegations mac Australians were’ nanaicapped in tneir campaigns oy lacx or - modern wanare equipment, particularly tanas, special landing crait, bulldozers, and graaers, were answered tms week in a report by the commanoer-in-Chlef (uenerai air mourns Alamey). This report nas not satisned ‘completely me A.l.r 1 . equipment- critics, ’me "Sydney uuily telegraph,” in a leading article to-uay, says; •'General Biamey s statement manes the .point tnat tne equipment provided tor tne Australian troops now in action in New uuuiea ana the Solomons ter than the equipment of the Japanese we are righting. “As these Japanese are 3t)ou miles from their mam . battle line and are

without a sea or air link with, their home supply bases, and have only local reserves to draw bn, one would ex-

pect their equipment to be a lot worse than ours. Wnat if . the Japanese run out oi ammunition? Will we be content with bows ana arrows? Modern Equipment

“No one has suggested that Our troops are short of normal military supplies. The point is they are short of the kind of modem technical equipment the American forces have found necessary in the same kind of warfare. Ample supplies of this sort of equipment—bulldozers, graders, and special landing'craft—have saved the American soldier the exhaustion of pick and shovel war our men are going through, . ‘ “Thus'the Americans have been able to get on witix their-job quickly With' the miniinum of casualties, offatigue and delay. We should- be content with ho lower standard”. ' <

:■) Critics of AJJF, equipment several - times recentlyhavesuggeated. that Mr Curtin or.' Senator should ; in* epect the operational areas. Some~Ministers are bellevddto consider cause of the political Implications of recant criticism the have first-hand information; ; frphf? oneof its own members. Such' information will be secured by Senator Eraser’s tour. . • ' “In each clash the Japanese have cither been destroyed or have fled before their destruction could be <fcorppletely accomplished. Australian divisions- are now more completely and adequately equipped than m any other campaign of this war,” said'theCom-mander-in-Chief of the Australian forces (General Sir Thomas Blarney), who recently visited , operational areas and conferred with the Prime Minister (Mr J. Curtin) earlier this week. In' a detailed report of the Australians’ progress, both on New Guuiea and Bougainville,-••General Blarney denied allegations that. A.1.F.: troops fighting in thp southrFPSt Pacific^were handicapped- byy lack -of* equipment Heavy equipment was in hand.'’qbt the necessity to use-it had not so far arisen. No operation would be'authorised unless the local commander and General ; Blarney himself wsfrc satisfied that ade- ■ quate equipment was available.!© en-‘ sureisuccess,' ■ : ' '"y■ • 'Supply Problems '/ ■ I ■ / Gbrieral fchapey f the Australian forces trol of the Australian GOYdrpmfflt. They were 'the' availability of shipping , and the quantity of equipment assigned from overseas sources' of supply FOr the operations in New Guinea New Britain.-and the Solomons, cn adequate supply of amphibious c uitiaent such ' as “ducks” (amphibious trucks) was required, but in certain of these items the demand greatly exceeded the supply, which was apportioned .to t the various war theatres >£ ,the Combined *. Munitions Assignments t Computtee m yftishington.' . AUSTRALIAN GOAL . in^ CRISIS MAY RESULT “I‘feel time%.*sofiMte chairman; ’ When the, ■ • ComipffmSchlth ' Board of Inquiry, into the coalmining • industry resumed its filttings yesterday. Mr Justice Davidson’s comment followed a demand by representatives of the colliery owners, for prompt action to meet the present position On . the coalfields. They pointed out that to-day 11 mines were idle in New South Wales, ■ and alleged that stoppages had become more frequent since the board bad be--1 gun hearing evidence. . Easter losses on an important ,normem New . South Wales coalfield averaged flOOtf tohs daily. .As a result of the decline in production, particularly at the Broken Hill Proprietary pits, some heavy industries are reported to. face the prospect of retrenchment.

CRIMINALS OBTAIN

POSITION IN , SYDNEY

SYDNEY. April 6. “Sydney is..flooded with firearms, of all descriptions; the majority ofthem ’ being in the hands of criminals,’’ said - ■ senior police official to-day-' , In recent weeks detectives have eeized six sub-machine-guns, .all in ' perfect order. These guns, which are capable of firing" 600 rounds a minute, ate believed to have, been bought from Allied servicemen. A large number of such, guns are known to be still In the possession of Sydney, criminals. Recent arrests have disclosed that housebreakers and other thieves, who are usually unarmed, are .now carrying firearms. The police are pressing for heavy 1 penalties for persons found carrying guns illegally. They believe that otherwise shootings will increase.