AUSTRALIAN EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23714, 22 July 1940, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN EFFORT

SUPPLYING WAR NEEDSGOVERNMENT'S GREAT DRIVE The opinion that from the beginning of hostilities war consciousness and alertness had been, perhaps, a little keener in New Zealand than in Australia was expressed by the Minister of Supply, the Hon. IT. G. Sullivan, in a broadcast address last night when he discussed his recent visit to Australia for conferences relating to the manufacture of armaments and equipment. He said it had been only in the past eight weeks or so that public opinion in the Commonwealth had crystallised in the form of a great drive by _the Government in the supply of munitions. Mr. Sullivan stated that all sections in Australia were playing their full part, and in a little while this great effort would provide equally great results, giving Australia the war equipment she needed. Many engineering workers were employed 12 hours a day under agreement between their tmion and the Commonwealth Government, and thev'were working willingly, even cheerfully, although the mental and physical strain must be very great. Some women wore working 24 hours a dav in three groups, each of which worked eight hours. A dilution'scheme, bringing in many process workers, was i also In operation. •. - The Minister mentioned that there bad been 100.000 applications m Australia for service in the Air Fprce. snd •90 000 men had so far been accepted. He bad inspected an aeroplane manufacturing works near Melbourne where dive-bombers and engines were made, while the railway workshops in Victoria were also busy in the manufacture of bombers. Australia was making good progress in the manufacture of munitions, and he had been struck by. the up-to-date method# employed.