GROWING EMPIRE WAR EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 9, 5 October 1940, Page 12

GROWING EMPIRE WAR EFFORT

Dominions And Colonies VAST OUTPUT OF MEN AND MATERIALS

(British Offlcial Wireless.) RUGBY, October 3. The whole of the Empire’s war effort is growing with ceaseless momentum.

By the end of September between 50,000 and 60,000 men of the volunteer militia concluded camp training in Canada, and during 19+1 nearly 300,000 will be trained. In addition it is estimated unofficially that the total number of Canadian tjroops now in England is more than 46,000. As announced in the first week in September, the Canadian Navy then numbered 125 vessels while the Royal Canadian Air Force expected early in October to have a strength of 26,000 officers and men, of whom 16.000 are in the Empire air training project. As in other parts of toe Empire. Canada’s material resources represent a highly important factor. The current wheat crop is estima’ed by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics at 561.000,000 bushels, which is about 5.000,000 bushels below the record harvest of 1928. The oats, barley, and linseed crops are estimated to be all above those of last year. In nine months the Canadians have bought about £130.000.000 worth of war bonds. Australia’s Flans.

tn Australia the establishment of a new infantry officers’ training school will raise the output of officers to nearly 2000 a year—the number required for the A.I.F. Plans have been made for greater expansion of the air defences of Northern and Eastern Australia, involving the expenditure of many millions of pounds on establishments of aircraft personnel The proposed strength of the Air Force will be at least 8500 officers and men. Seven Australian shipyards are building 50 patrol craft to the design of the Navy Board, and 20 of th°se are intended for the Admiralty. Each ship will be manned by Australians nnd named after an Australian town. Two Tribal Class destroyers under construction in Australia will, with the King’s approval, be named Arunta and Warranunga. the names of tw > aboriginal tribes.

The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation has handed to the Australian Government the hundredth Wirraway plane one year after the production of the first. This means an output of £1,000,000 worth of planes in the first year of production. The members of 15,000 Australian war savings groups now number 1.250,000, one-sixth of the population N.Z. Airmen. There are now 1000 New Zealanders in the R.A.F.; 8204 men have volunteered for the R.N.Z.A.F. as pilots, and 8189 for the technical staff. In South Africa, the Transvaal gold output in August broke the record at almost 1.200.000 fine ounces. The South African Air Force continues to take part in many successful raids on Italian bases in Africa, where a Rhodesian squadron of the R.A.F. has also made successful attacks. The Southern Rhodesian gold mining industry achieved the highest monthly production in 23 years during August.

In India applications for service in the I.A.F. are being received at the rate of between 700 and 2000 a day, according to a recent announcement. The advertising of 300 vacancies for pilots in the I.A.F. reserve brought 18.000 applications. Toward the war industries India is producing about 20,000 different items. A factory survey will shortly be made to estimate the production capacity. Hardly a day passes without further generous Indian gifts toward the purchase of aircraft.

Kenya’s man-power is now 100 per cent, mobilized. Every able-bodied man who is not in the regular forces is having part-time training in the Kenya defence force.

GOING TO ENGLAND

Canadian Defence Minister

(Received October 4, 7.5 p.m.) OTTAWA, October 3.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Mackenzie King, announced that the Defence Minister, Mr. Ralston, was going to England to discuss defence questions.