BRITISH PLANTS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 150, 22 December 1945, Page 7

BRITISH PLANTS

TRANSFER TO AUSTRALIA

CANBERRA, December 21

The transfer to Australia of British people and production units in the shipbuilding, aircraft, and other industries is planned as part of Australia's post-war defence policy. This is one [% inciple adopted by War Cabinet and announced today by the Prime Minister (Mr. Chifley).

The proposals were made to Britain during the war, but because of the acute supply position, it was not possible to develop them. Australia was told then that any scheme for affiliation of Australian production capacity with United Kingdom manufacturing resources was a matter for post-war policy. The guiding principles of post-war defence will be as follows:—Naval power: Provision for the maintenance of adequate man-power and standard of strength and provision of naval bases and facilities for repair and fuel.

Air: Uniform development of air forces, creation and maintenance of air bases and fuelling stations and air force interchanges of personnel and units.

Munitions: Development of Empire resources to avoid as far as possible over-concentration of resources for the manufacture and supply in any area specially liable to attack; development of manufacturing self-suffi-ciency and arrangements for combining manufacturing facilities between parts of the Empire. The aircraft and engines produced in Australia should be suitable not only for the defence of Australia but for the defence of all British countries.