RUSH TO ENLIST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24144, 10 December 1941, Page 8

RUSH TO ENLIST

AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE TRANSPORT RESTRICTIONS SAVING PETROL AND COAL (Heed. 11.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Deo. 0 Recruiting in Australia has been greatly stimulated as a result of the break with Japan. Enlistments yesterday and to-day were three times greater than in any two days for a year. Nearly a thousand men have enrolled in Sydney since yesterday and been conveyed direct to camps. The Federal Government has imposed drastic restrictions on transport services which use either petrol or coal. Motoring for pleasure is to bo prohibited, and long-distance travelling by trains to bo disallowed except for business or urgent domestic purposes. An appeal is made to persons engaged in essential industries to abandon holidays. The Miners' Federation to-day pledged full support to the Government's war effort, oven to the extent of carrying on through the holidays. Thus maximum coal production will be maintained.

Further Mobilisation

A new constitutional procedure was adopted to-day by Australia in making war on Japan. A proclamation was issued by the Governor-General at the request of His Majesty the King, who was acting exclusively in this matter on the advice of Mr. Curtin. The King's signature will bo rushed to Australia by photogram for publication in the Commonwealth.

The Federal Cabinet has decided on further mobilisation, and tho machinery to achieve this has been set in motion. This announcement was made by the Minister for the Army, Mr. Fordo, in a broadcast to-night. He added that long-prepared arrangements for civilian safety were being put into effect. Tho Australian aircraft industry is being fully mobilised under direct Government control. Call-up ol Women

The War Cabinet has decided to recall additional militia for more intensive training, and also to call up 1600 women for the army and 600 for the air force, thus relieving a corresponding number of men for more active duty.

Technical advisers are now working out details of regulations for commandeering supplies of raw materials for the defence forces and essential indus--tries. \ * Other regulations being drafted include stricter control of transport, petrol. coal, oil and non-essential spending. Bp progressive steps civilian requirements will be subordinated entirely to the needs of the Services. Curtailing Pleasure Services All pleasure services in the coming weeks will be strictly curtailed. A schedule shortening shopping hours will be drawn up after the position has been examined, the object being to save fuel for transport and reduce civilian consumption. Steps are being taken to prevent rises in prices and the creation of black markets such as occurred iu Europe.

CONVOYS IN PACIFIC KEEPING SHIP LANES OPEN MORE VESSELS TO BE USED WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 The navy and the Maritime Commission are ready to begin arming al merchantmen in the Pacific, start convovs and keep Lend-or-Lease Act supplies flowing. Officials said little appre* ciable change was to bo expected m Pacific shipping operations. American merchantmen, convoyed by the navy, would blast a way through any Japanese offensive. The necessity of speeding the flow of strategic materials from Australia, Netherlands East Indies and elsewhere, and replenishing supplies to American armed forces in Pacific bases, has resulted in plans to induct many more merchantmen into the Asiatic and Far Eastern trades. The German radio quoted a report from Tokio that Japanese warships had captured seven United States merchantmen in the Pacific.

NAZI SHOT AT IN ROUEN (Heed. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 8 The Vichy news agency says shots were fired this morning at a German officer in Rouen. A curfew has been imposed until December 14.

AUSTRALIAN WAR LOANS (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Dec. 9 Another war loan, of between £30,000,000 and £40,000,000, will be sought by the Federal Government during February. An additional loan of about the same amount will be raised before the present financial year ends, on June 30.