SOUTH PACIFIC DEFENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1939, Page 8

SOUTH PACIFIC DEFENCE

CONFERENCE SUGGESTED.

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] CANBERRA, September 18. Consultation between Australia and New Zealand naval, military, air and economic experts to safeguard that portion of the British Empire in the South Pacific, was advocated by the Federal Labour Leader (Mr. Curtin) to-day. , , . A move of this character, he claimed, was necessary in view of the latest international developments, which were disquieting.

Meantime, talk of sending an expeditionary force to Europe was utterly unjustified, he added. NEEDS OF AUSTRALIA. CANBERRA, September 18. Mr. Cameron, Leader of the Country Party, said to-day that to-morrow he will ask in the Federal House whether the Government will not immediately intensify and increase its preparations for Australian defence. The need this week for such preparations was much greater than it was even last week. What was threatened now was a Rus-sian-Japanese Pact. Moreover Britain was threatened with trouble on the Indian North-west Frontier. It is announced that by November 1, camps will be completed for the reception of the first 20,000 men being called up to train for home defence. From Sydney it is reported that hundreds of men are seeking enlistment in the militia force of 20,000 to be raised for service at home or abroad. A fair proportion of the men enlisting- are former Diggers. The Anzacs offering will be signed up as reserves for home duty.

SUPPORT OF TRADE UNIONS MELBOURNE, September 19. The Labour Party’s declaration of policy on the war, was endorsed by a meeting of the Inter-State Executive of the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. UNIVERSAL TRAINING DEMAND CANBERRA, September 19. The new leader of the Country Party, Mr. Cameron, in a broadcast address, demanded the introduction of universal military training, and said that, if necessary, Australia should have a voluntary force ready to send abroad.