CANADA AT WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23817, 19 November 1940, Page 9

CANADA AT WAR

POWERFUL HELP AIR SCHEME AND. MEN BOMBERS AND MUNITIONS ; The growth of Canada's war effort,., including her large part in the Empire air scheme, and the close •relations between Canada and the United States, were reviewed by Mr. W. F. Bull, Canadian Trade Commissioner, at; a luncheon meeting of the Aucklaud Rotary Club yesterday in Milne and. Choyce's Reception Hall. The president, Mr. F. M. Winstone, presided over a large attendance. After referring to the history of Canadian-United States relations, Mr. Bull said Canada had also maintained the closest possible relations with Britain and there was no question of Canada's loyalty to the Crown. In moving close to Canada tho United States was becoming closer to Britain and the rest of the. 200,000,000 Englishspeaking peoples. In his opinion the groat majority of the citizens of the United States disliked the Nazi philosophy as much as the British did, and it wa's only a matter of time before they took a more active part in tho war. , 5 , Magnitude of Air Schema "The very magnitude and vision of this great air training scheme is terrifying, particularly to the enemy," Mr. Bull said, when discussing the Empire scheme. The whole plan called for more than 70 training schools spread across Canada from coast to coast. When the scheme was in -full operation, 40,000 officers and men would be required to man the .various schools and depots.

"Everything has changed this year, and the air training plan has been drastically increased and speeded up," he continued. "The old schedule has been dropped and a much faster one put in its place. Our latest advice from Canada reports that 25 schools are in operation to-day, although only 18 were scheduled for this date. As much will be completed by the end of„ 1940 as was originally planned for the end of 1941." "Arsenal ol the Empire" Mr. Bull said Canada's aircraft industry had been very rapidly expanded, and now employed 22L000 workmen. Canada was now producing 11 types of aircraft, including Hurricane fighters, bombers, array co-operatibn machines, flying-boats and trainers, and it was reliably reported that in the :next few months Canadian factories would be making aeroplanes at the ratß of one every two hours, or over 4000 a year. In a recent month 26 Canadian-built bombers, ready for action, were flown across the Atlantic. "Canada will become the arsenal of the Empire," he added, .when describing the growing output of shells, which had already reached 1,000,000 a month, rifles, machine-guns, cannons, motor vehicles, as well as raw materials. In addition, there were already 50,000 Canadian soldiers in Britain, 100,000 trained in Canada ready to go forward, 60,000 in the militia, and a compulsory scheme to train 30,000 men r» month for home defence. The Canadian Navy had 10,000 men, and the Air Force another 25,000. - %, . "The development of Canada's Navy has been most remarkable." Mr. Bull said. "From In ships and 1774 men on September 1. 1939. the Navy has grown to 120 ships and 10.000 men, and iii rt very short- time it will reach 215 ships and 15.000 men. Most of the ships are being built in Canada, and 14.000 workj men are engaged in Canada's shipyards."