AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1940, Page 8

AUSTRALIA

U.S.A. FLYING-BOATS. [by cable— press assn.—copyright..] MELBOURNE, September 17. The Australian War Cabinet decided to-day to purchase from America eleven P.B.Y. flying boats at a cost of one million pounds. Mr Menzies, Prime Minister, said delivery of these was expected to begin before the end of the year. These machines will take the place of twenty Sunderland flying boats that were ordered in Britain last year, but which were later handed to the British Government as a.Coastal Command unik Each P.B.Y. machine has a maximum speed of 205 miles an hour, and carires a crew of six. They are highly suited for long range patrols. LABOUR’S CLAIMS. BRISBANE, September 17. Addressing a very large meeting here, Mr Curtin declared that fax' from being isolationist, Labour’s defence policy, as enunciated at the last election, would have found Australia better equipped at the war’s outbreak than she was, even after a year of hostilities. Supporting the case for increased military allowances, he described the present pay as “this miserable dole.” LABOUR WINS BY-ELECTION. SYDNEY, September 18. Mr Williams,’ Official Labour candidate, won the Ryde by-election, defeating Mr Mitchell (Government) by 230 votes. Mitchell led on the primary count, but a big proportion of the second preferences for Labour, in the votes for the Independent candidates, placed Williams ahead, the final figures being: Williams 10,908; Mitchell, 10,678.