GREAT SPY HUNT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1947, Page 7

GREAT SPY HUNT

Preparing For Rocket Bomb Tests AUSTRALIA LEARN? FROM CANADA (Recd. 11.40 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. One of the most intensive spy hunts in Australian history is now being waged by the Commonwealth authorities as part of an elaborate security plan to protect the secrets of the rocket bomb tests in Central Australia. Exhaustive investigations have been ordered to block every possible channel through which unauthorised information might reach certain foreign Powers. ( The credentials and background of every person entering Australia are being subjected to the closest scrutiny for security reasons. Even experts directly concerned with the experiments will be checked before they are allowed to take part in this important defence project.

The active support of the British Government has been enlisted in guaranteeing the bona tides of members of the British rocket bomb party shortly to arrive here. The complete history of every person directly or indirectly associated with the project will be thoroughly examined. In addition scores of people who have been resident in this country for long periods will be brought within the scope of inquiry. Special attention will be paid to certain persons and groups whose political activities inside Australia have attracted attention. Elaborate Cordon Besides the thorough investigation of individuals, the security plan to protect the rocket bomb project will possibly include provision for the dispersal of experimental activities. This will be designed to assure that none but the highest authorities will be able to secure a complete picture of the experiments and that any piece of information which might escape through the elaborate security cordon will be of minimum value to other than those co-ordinating the entire undertaking.

To achieve this objective, several widely-separated factories will probably be used for the production of the necessary components. These moves have followed closely upon the happenings in Canada, where it was disclosed that certain information regarding the atomic experiments had found its way into Russia. Copies of the report of the Canadian investigation have been flown to Australia and are being closely studied by the Commonwealth authorities, who are now familiar with all the methods used for obtaining the information. Location of Range The preliminary work for . the rocket bomb tests will soon begin at Mount Eba, 60 miles north of the trans-continental railway, and 300 miles north-west of Broken Hill. The range extends in a northwesterly direction right across Australia, reaching the coast between Shellborough and Broome and passing right out over the ■ ocean to Christmas Island for a total length of 3000 miles. The first stage, estimated to cost £3,000,000, will extend 300 miles.