SUPPLIES TO AUSTRALIA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 264, 7 October 1942, Page 5

SUPPLIES TO AUSTRALIA

. SYDNEY, Oct. 6. “Everything is subordinated to the job of holding back the invader from our sacred shores,” said the Federal Attorney-General (Dr Evatt) in a speech when he reviewed the Labour Government’s achievements of the last 12 months. “From the first the Government concentrated specially on organising the country’s resources on the Pacific battlefront, and Mr Curtin insisted that geographical and strategic considerations should result in the United States taking over tlio primary responsibility for the whole Pacific theatre of war. “There was nothing anti-British in that,” Dr Evatt said. “Rather it was a realistic approach and has proved of incalculable value both to Britain and Australia. Above all Australia’s relationship with Britain to-day was never more friendly and never more intimate. The improvement regarding supplies during the year has been very great indeed. The number of tanks successfully brought to Australia .has been multipled a hundredfold since February when .the outlook for Australia was very black. A similar impr'ovement has marked the position in regard to modern fighter aeroplanes. The fact is that the equipment obtained by Australia from the United States and Britain lias, when added to Australias own production, helped to save Australia from a Japanese invasion. The Government helieves that, although.far more attention is now being paid to the Pacific fronts than seemed possible six months ago, there is still a tendency in powerful quarters abroad to regard the Pacific as a sideshow. Fortunately, President Roosevelt and the United States Navy always assessed the Pacific theatre as of considerable importance. Wo owe much to the United States Navy, the recovery of which after Pearl Harbour has been miraculous.”