AUSTRALIA’S WAR EFFORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1941, Page 11

AUSTRALIA’S WAR EFFORT

NATIONAL GOVT. PROPOSAL

[BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN COPYRIGHT. |

SYDNEY, April 25

The Federal Government has again given an invitation to the Labour Party to join in a National All-Party Administration. The first invitation was made in the middle of last year, and was repeated several times since. It was officially renewed.by Mr. Fadden yesterday. Mr. Fadden said: “Now is the time for all of us to sink any political differences, and to dispose our forces and our strength in such a way as to provide a maximum war effort. No single party can win this war. If we do not all take our full share of responsibility, we must go down.” No official answer from the Labour Party is expected until Mr. Curtin reaches Melbourne next week, and confers with other Labour supporters.

MUNITIONS PRODUCTION.

SYDNEY, April 25

The “Sydney Morning Herald” says: “Although Australia’s prodigious achievement in the field of munitions production is generally regarded as one of the most impressive features of the Commonwealth’s war effort, there is a growing feeling in influential quarters that drastic remedies may have to be applied if the productive capacity of the nation is to satisfy rapidly increasing demands being made upon it.” The “Herald” hints at the likelihood of Australia having to replace the equipment in the hands of her troops in Greece and Egypt, and also the possibility of Australia having to supply, unaided, the fighting forces of South Africa, Rhodesia, Kenya, India, Burma, Malaya, and New Zealand. Expert observers says Australia will not be able to do all these things with the present output from her factories. Coupled with this is the fact that certain vitally important military equipment has failed to come forward in the time scheduled, or in the quantities that are made necessary by the. enormous commitments. The “Herald” adds: A conviction is growing daily that the time has come when the people will have to atune themselves,, to the idea of the national control of man-power, manufacturing capacity, and productive resources, including finance.

MINISTER’S DENIAL.

(Recd. April 26, 9.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, April 25

While admitting that Australia, in common with gvery othei- country, including Britain and the United States, is facing a general shortage of tools and skilled labour. Senator Mcßride, Minister of Munitions, deled there was a tragic bottle-neck ip Australian munitions production. He pointed out that from the slender foundations which existed before the war, Australia had' built up a machine 'tool industry covering fifty firms who already had made available deliveries worth two and a-half millions sterling. \ Senator Mcßride said a recent British visitor had reminded hirp that Australia’s present outppt of munitions was approximately one-quarter that of the United Kingdom immediately before the war, when rearmament had already commenced.