MORE SHIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 9

MORE SHIPS

UNITED STATES PLANS ADDITIONAL PROGRAMME LOSSES NOW OVERHAULED (Reed. 9.22 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 In an attempt to end the immediate shortage of Anglo-American merchant tonnage, the United States Maritime Commission has announced that it has launched a new shipbuilding programme aimed at the construction of 264 tankers, tugs and freighters of a special type. This will not interfere with the production of 1200 larger vessels now on order. American ship construction lias now caught up ton for ton with the sinkings of Allied shipping, said the chairman of the Maritime Commission, RearAdmiral Emory S. Land, last night. He stated that 6,000,000 tons of shipping a year was being sunk, and the United States had just caught up with it and was making plans to.build in advance of that figure. Britain has returned to the United States 15 American-owned oil tankers. This action, it is reported, has been taken to ease the oil and petrol shortage in the eastern States which lias been mainly caused by insufficient tanker tonnage.

The second Lend-Lease Bill for £1,500,000,000 has reached the Senate from the Appropriations Committee. Of this sum £81,250,000 is reported to be earmarked for 50 convoy escort ships. INVASION EXERCISE IMPORTANT CONCLUSIONS CO-OPERATION IN DEFENCE (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 21 Another big army exercise, this time entailing an "invasion" of the Isle of Wight, is drawing to a close. The island has proved an ideal ground in which to carry out the exercise, involving all military units, Home Guard units and civil defence. The lesson that emerges is that tho links between the three branches mn»4 he strengthened in view of the vitalise important aid one can give the other.

The system of local defence committees which is spread all over the country has been given a full and fair trial* The wide range of the functions of these committees includes the conservation or destruction of food supplies, decision on rationing methods and communal feeding, mobilisation of manpower to assist the military with road blocks or carry out other emergency work, arrangements for the collection or rapid immobilisation of vehicles, and the prevention of the spreading of false rumours.

The general scheme o£ the exercise provided for enemy landings on three sides of the island. The enemy carried out a determined and successful attack on an aerodrome, but the men of a Yorkshire regiment, aided by sailors from a naval establishment, made an equally determined counter-attack and recaptured the airfield. GREATER VIGOUR PLEA BY WORKERS CRITICISM OF MINISTERS LONDON, Oct. 21 A resolution demanding greater help j for Russia was left for Mr. Churchill at No. 10 Downing Street by a deputation representing nine important engineering factories in north-west London.

The resolution said that meetings of workers had expressed grave concern at the critical situation facing Russia, and that there was a growing belief that Britain was not taking advantage of the Russians' heroic defence to strike in the west and thereby hasten the defeat of Germanv.

It /was further urged that Colonel Moore-Brabazon, Minister for Aircraft Production, and Viscount Halifax, British Ambassador to America, and others, who, to say the Least, had displayed hesitation in pressing forward for the defeat of Nazi Germany, should be removed from responsible Government positions.

RUMANIAN OIL

SUPPLIES FOR TURKEY (Herd. 6.43 p.m.) ISTANBUL, Oct. 21 An agreement between Turkey and Rumania has been concluded, as a result of which Rumania will supply to Turkey petroleum products which will be delivered at Burgas, the Rumanian Black Sea port. The oil supplies will be picked up there by Turkish ships. HUNGER STRIKERS RELEASE IN AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, Oct. 22 Max Thomas and Horace Ratliff, the Australian hunger-strikers whom the Federal Cabinet decided to release from internment, were set free after having entered into a bond by which they undertook to comply with the National Security Act, They signed an undertaking to do all in their power a3 individuals to ensure the victory of the British Commonwealth and her Allies.

STATE ENTERPRISE

SHIPBUILDING IN CANADA' OTTAWA, Oct. 21 The Canadian Minister of Munitions, Mr. C. D. Howe, announced to-day that the Government had purchased the Dufferin Shipbuilding Company in order to convert the undertaking into one of the largest shipbuilding units in Canada. The work of expanding the Toronto plant will begin as soon as the engineer's survey is completed.

MISSION OVERSEAS

MR. ATTLEE AT LISBON (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 21

The Lord Privy Seal and deputyleader of the British Government, Mr. C. 11. Attlee, arrived at Lisbon by air on Tuesday afternoon from England. It was stated earlier that he would visit the United States.