Australia Trains War Mechanics

Northern Advocate, 27 May 1940, Page 6

Australia Trains War Mechanics

[Per Press Association. Copyright .] AUCKLAND, This Day. “Australia is making a tremendous effort to educate and train thousands of young men as specialised mechanics for the air force and the army,” said Sir Herbert Gepp, a leading Melbourne business man, who arrived at Auckland today by (he Monterey en route to Suva. He declared that the most vital need of the Empire was in the air, and that the Dominions must use their resources and man power to ensure that the Allies gained the ascendancy as quickly as possible. First Essentials. Air training and the development of a strong mechanised army were the first requirements of the war effort in the Commonwealth, he added, and the position should be similar in . New Zealand. There were larger numbers of young men offering for service, and they were splendid .material for building a fighting force. Every man who could be spared from industry would have to be spared to maintain the numbers of those in training. “The training of mechanics is not an easy job,” said Sir Herbert Gepp. “And in the aircraft industry a certain minimum proportion of men of long experience is absolutely essential, but Australia is rapidly overcoming the major problems by adopting the technical school and colleges and industrial fitting workshops to enable a very large increase to be made in the numbers of qualified men. Organise As One Unit. “That is the first factor in the war effort. The next is to organise the country as one unit for defence overseas or at home, and to take drastic measures against any possibility of weakness or Fifth Column activities.” Men in the responsible industrial and business positions, and the older section of the community, also the women, would have to take an increasing share of the burden as recruiting progressed, and it was absolutely essential that the basic industries should be kept operating at full capacity. People would have to work more, and in steady work they would find the best antidote for fear and anxiety.

The question of reserved occupations would have to be under continual review, so that men could be gradually released as others, not eligible for active service, became available to take their places.