DARWIN BASE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29712, 4 January 1962, Page 9

DARWIN BASE

Australian Defence

(N -Z PA.-Reuter—Copyright) MELBOURNE, Jan. 3.

President Soekamo’s “sabre-rattling” speeches about West New Guinea were reminiscent of Hitler at Munich and were “just as menacing,” the Federal Opposition Leader (Mr Arthur Calwell) declared today.

Mr Calwell said the time was more than ripe for the Australian Army battalion and the Australian Air Force unit in Malaya to be brought home and stationed at Darwin. “It is time to do something about developing and defending the most vulnerable parts of the Northern Territory and the north-west of Western Australia,” he said. Mr Calwell said Dr. Soekarno had threatened to use force to annexe Dutch New Guinea after a series of solemn promises by himself and his Ministers that force would never be used to achieve this objective. This showed how worthless Dr. Soekarno’s promises were. “If he were to succeed this time, who can say that he would not promote bigger incidents between his troops and the natives in the Australian territory of New Guinea, and use that as an excuse for further attempted annexations. “Not only Australian New Guinea, but the new state of Malaysia, particularly Borneo and Sarawak, will also be coveted by Dr. Soekarno on some pretext or other. “It is certain that Dr Soekarno will not be satisfied with one victory, because like all dictators he must divert the attention of his people from internal troubles by engaging in foreign forays,” Mr Calwell said

Clothing Prices Cut In Perth (N.ZJ’.A -Reuter— Copyright) PERTH, January 3. A group of Perth clothing stores has reduced lines of nationally - priced clothing by about 12$ per cent, and prominently advertised toe reductions yesterday. The reduced prices apply to well-known brands of men’s wear, some with fixed prices the public has come to know over the years. “There should not be special prices for special people,” is the theme behind the move. One of the five stores advertised a 124 per cent, reduction on 18 brands of men’s wear.