PLANS FOR WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24303, 18 June 1942, Page 4

PLANS FOR WAR

AUSTRALIAN DEMAND SUPPORT FROM UNIONS NATIONALISED INDUSTRY (PRIME MINISTER'S VIEWS fey Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Special Australian Correspondent) sßecd. 9.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 1< More than 200 trade union delepates from all States, together with Government representatives, will sttend the most important industrial conference ever held in Australia, }to open at Melbourne on I 1 riday. jThe Federal Prime Minister, Mr. J. 'Curtin, will preside. It is believed Mr. Curtin will demand |tiiat trade unions abandon all plans W improvement in wages or conditions while the war lasts. He is expected to tell the unions frankly that the Government has finished its blue print for ,the war and it remains only for the iplan to be put into effect. The onus ko see that the plan is implemented -will rest mainly on the unions. Large industries in both Sydney and Melbourne have been earmarked for closing.

The Prime Minister has stated that the operational side of the war has '.ceased to be a matter for Government ■initiative. This is in the hands of the 'Commander-in-Chief, General Douglas iMacArthur, and his subordinate comfjnanders, who also control strategy in this theatre of war in relation to strategy in other places. Mr. Curtin added that industry has already been nationalised to some extent and that rationalisation was likely io become increasingly necessary in : future.