THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 229, 26 August 1940, Page 8

THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE

AUSTRALIA’S PART. ADDRESS ToItOTARY CLUB. Lite resting aspects of Australia’s war effort were related to members of the Palmerston North Rotary Club in” an address at their weekly luncheon today by Mr J. E. Menzies, assistant Australian Trade Commissioner in New Zealand. At the start of the war Australia placed the whole of her resources of wealth, property and man-power at the ■disposal of the Empire, in common with other countries, said Mr Menzies. These had to bo marshalled in the common cause,, and she informed the Mother Country that she would give assistance when and where needed. Her preparations were being carried! out on t'he assumption that tlic war would be a long one. The speaker proceeded to deal with Australian war activities under the headings of military, naval, air force and munitions work. As far as the army was concerned, the position of overseas enlistments was different' from that in the last war. Mr Menzies said. Then Australia had to raise a force only for overseas. To day she had to look to her own defences, as she did not know when she might be called on to defend her own shores. T'he latest information was that her home defence force would consist of 250,000 men. Under the Australian Defence Act all men from 18 to 60 years were liable to serve for home defence. So far single men only had been called up. One month’s training had been given to 60 000 men, three months’ to 75,000 men, and four months’ to 54,000 men. Up to July 1 there had been 90,000 enlistments in the A.I.E. One division had been sent overseas and the others would be sent as required or as the situation warranted.

I'.ie Australian Navy was not very formidable in size, but bad already proved its fighting efficiency, added Mr I Menzies; who referred to the feat of H.M.A.S. .Sydney in destroying a ■ superior Italian vessel. The personnel jof the Australian Navy had been doubled since the start of the war, and it now contained 12 000 men and I was being increased by a further 2000. j Twelve vessels were being added, apart from five armed cruisers and I numerous auxiliary vessels. Since the start of the war the navy had ceaselessly patrolled Australian waters. Australia was now building war vessels, and an important decision was that of erecting a graving dock. This i would help to make Australia the 1 centre for a powerful fleet. TRAINING OF AIRMEN. As the result of a recent recruiting drive 31,000 men 'nad been acccpteu for training as airmen with the .Australian Air Force, the speaker continued. Air squadrons hau been sent 1 overseas and lei,ooo men were available for service in Australia. Australia’s quota for the Canadian air training ; scheme was 57,000 men—3o 000 as fly- ' ing staff and 27,000 as ground staff. . Australia had made a magnificent response in this respect. Training schools were in process of formation m many parts of the Commonwealth, and the local manufacture of Wirraway aeroplanes had been started. Five machines were now being produced every week. This did not seem a large total, but it took time to increase tile production. Other plants for aeroplane manufacture were coming into the production stage. Australia was fully alive to the necessity of making itself as self-contained as possible in aeroplane requirements. I The most outstanding achievement | was the tremendous strides Australia was making in the manufacture of munitions for all kinds of war equipment, Mr Menzies went on. Not only was she making these for herself, but for Britain and other parts of the , Empire. Among the articles she was | making were 2o pounder field guns, shells, searchlights, trench mortars, and anti-tank guns. Bren guns would be produced there early next year, and j the manufacture of tanks was also I being considered and would be started, j Australia was fortunate in having a i well-established iron and steel indusj try'," and also produced many kinds of 1 metals used in the production of munitions.. A special Ministry of Munitions had been sot up in t'he country. It was estimated that the munitions industry would cost. £50.000,000 in all to establish and when in full production would employ 150,000 persons. At present 15,000 were being employed. Already the output was much greater than at the start of the war, and it was expected that it. would become eight times greater. Some progress was also being made in the production of vessels each of about 8000 tons.

The magnitude of Australia’s effort would be realised, said the speaker, when it was considered that in the next four years she would spend £450,000,000 on the war. He concluded bv referring to Australia’s desire to co-operate with New Zealand in war production, and to illustrate the Australian attitude to the war quoted a recent utterance of his brother, Mr 11. G- Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, who had said: “Financial collapse is to be preferred to national destruction.”

On the motion of Mr G. G. Priest the speaker was accorded a vote of .thanks by acclamation. Mr J. A. Grant presided.