AXIS ON DEFENSIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24536, 19 March 1943, Page 4

AXIS ON DEFENSIVE

UULUnCL MHUAO VltWO JAPANESE SHIPPING LOSSES (Recti. 5.35 p.m.) NEW YORK. March 17 "The Japanese merchant fleet, it is estimated, has lost 1,857,000 tons, or about one-third of its entire tonnage," said the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel W. F. Knox, who added that from now on the Axis would be on the defensive. In reference to the post-war era, Colonel Knox said: "I suspect Mr. Roosevelt's flying voyage to Casablanca was a token act which sealed the inescapable participation of America in world affairs." Colonel Knox said that at the beginning of the war it was estimated that Japan's merchant tonnage amounted to 6,369,000 tons and, peniaps, half her estimated losses, 1,857,000 tons, had been replaced by the seizure of foreign vessels in Asiatic waters, new building and salvage, but the total tonnage available to Japan to-day was probably 14 per cent less than that with which Japan set out to establish her grandiose greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere. "We," said Colonel Knox, "have just begun to fight. More warships, more planes and more submarines are going out to join in the hunt. It is no secret that our purpose is to destroy the Japanese navy. No one in the Navy Department believes we have reached a secure position of affairs. In the Atlantic we are confronted with a menace of formidable proportions. We have vast areas of the world to reconquer, but, thanks to the mighty exertions of Russia, Britain, China and our country, we have reached the point where the conduct of this struggle will be of our own choosing. The initiative is ours." Referring to the future, Colonel Knox paid a tribute to "the English men and women who did not know when they were whipped, whose great will kept their chins up until they could harness their industry and forge new weapons to protect themselves." DEADLOCK OVERCOME AUSTRALIAN SENATE VOTE (Rccd. 9.<10 p.m.) CANBERRA, March IS Because one Opposition Senator did not hear the division bells, while a second was absent, the Government survived the Opposition challenge on the National Welfare Fund 13i 11 by 16 votes to 15 in the Senate to-day. The voting finally ended the crisis which had threatened a possible early election. The Senate Opposition challenge took the form of a vital amendment aimed at deleting a clause specifying £30,000,000 as the sum to be allocated annually to the fund. The way is now clear lor the new Income Tax Rill, as well as the Welfare Kund Mill, to be made law. ]

SYNTHETIC RUBBER SYDNEY. March 18 j A Canadian rubber chemist. Mr. W. : H. Brenmer, who is oil his way to New i Zealand to advi.se concerning the maim- j faeture of synthetic rubber and the re- j clamation of waste, said that in 10 years ( synthetic rubber would practically replace crude rubber in Canada, where large quantities of oil and coal would . allow of its manufacture more cheaply . than natural rubber could be imported. "1 think that after the war not a i scrap of rubber will be wasted," said Mr. Breinner. "Scrap has saved the day j for Canada and the United States. We j could never have pulled through with- ! out it." Mr. Brenmcr added that the quality of synthetic rubber was being improved, although the best tyres /were still made by adding a small percentage of ! natural rubber. Canada was building a j ,£1.'i,000,000 plant to produce >IO.OOO I tons a vear. Mr. Urcmner has arrived in New Zea- , land. 'A message from Wellington regarding the Sydney cablegram states | that he has not come to New Zealand : as adviser to the Government, but that I the purpose of his visit is to advise a | Christchiirch company. AIR TRAINING LOSSES (Real 7.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, March is Sixteen men of the Royal Australian Air force have been killed in four crashes during training exercises in the past week.