EQUIPMENT OF TROOPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25849, 21 May 1945, Page 3

EQUIPMENT OF TROOPS

CONTROVERSY IN AUSTRALIA ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SENATOR (Rec. 7 p.m.) CANBERRA, May 19. Allegations that the Acting Minister for the Army, Senator Fraser, had spoken “ a mouthful of lies ’’ in his report on army equipment were read in the House of Representatives by Mr J. P. Abbott (Country Party, New South Wales). The writer, a lieu-tenant-colonel serving on the Altape front in New Guinea, said: ‘‘The only time we have been well equipped was when we were under British command.” Mr Abbott said he would give the officer’s name in confidence to the Acting Prime Minister, Mr J. B. Chifley. but he would not disclose it in the House. ‘‘l will not divulge his name to the House or the military authorities,” he added, “because I do not want him mangled by the Gestapo.” The officer in his letter to Mr Abbott said: “Politicians like Senator Fraser will never get to the bottdm of anything. We will be completely equipped only when we are once again under British military command.” Mr Abbott said his informant had stated that the bombers now being used were out of date in 1942. Mr Abbott added that the evidence being received by Opposition members of the shortage of army equipment in New Guinea was too great and too frequent to be disregarded.

The Minister in Charge of the House, Mr Makin. said that the Government had, provided a most effective and smashing reply to all innuendoes, suggestions and allegations made by f!7e Opposition in regard to equipment shortages.

Mr Abbott: " But the troops are still short of equipment.”