WORK ON WHARVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25299, 9 August 1943, Page 3

WORK ON WHARVES

AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS EMPLOYMENT ESSENTIAL MELBOURNE Aug. 7. The volume of cargo handled at Australian ports during the first half of 1943 was about double that in the latter half of 1942, said the Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin, defending the employment of soldiers on the wharves. The Prime Minister was addressing an audidence of 3000 in a speech broadcast through Australia. “The increase in the volume of cargoes and other war calls on manpower make the work of soldiers on the wharves a national necessity,” Mr Curtin said. “Concurrently with military operations, dockage has been increased at the ports of Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Port Moresby, and Milne Bay; roads to Darwin have been built, roads and railways in Queensland, a submarine ibase at Exmouth Gulf (Western Australia), and improvements made to the harbours of Fremantle and Hogan Sound. The garrison at Milne Bay (Eastern New Guinea) has been increased twofold, and at Port Moresby fourfold, and development of port and administrative installations has been carried out at the same time as defensive operations against the enemy.”

Mr Curtin said he could promise no decrease in taxation, nor any refunds of taxation after the war.