AUSTRALIA’S PART

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25213, 30 April 1943, Page 3

AUSTRALIA’S PART

TOTAL WAR EFFORT NATION FULLY GEARED (Rec. 7 p.m.) PERTH, Apl. 29. “No country is more fully geared to a total war effort than Australia,” declared the Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin. He quoted figures showing the substantial lift in Australian enlistment and war production during the past three months. The number of men sworn into the fighting forces has risen from 750.000 to 800,000. This figure represents one man out of fewer than every two of the male population between 18 and 40 years of age, or one man in fewer than every five of the total male population. The number of men volunteering to fight anywhere in the world has increased from 422,000 to more than 500,000 —more than one man in three of those between 18 and 40. Men on full-time war work, including members of the forces, now total more than 1,500,000, or 60 per cent, of the Australian males between 14 and 65. Other figures quoted by Mr Curtin included: Australian factory workers in essential jobs number 539,000—70 per cent, of the nation’s total factory employees. Women employed in factory and war work number 140,000. Almost 100,000 people are employed in Government munitions factories. The value of Australia’s munitions output is now at the rate of £80,000,000 a year. Three months ago the figure was £52,000,000.