AUSTRALIANS TO HOLD ELECTION

Southland Times, Issue 24211, 22 August 1940, Page 8

AUSTRALIANS TO HOLD ELECTION

September 21 Fixed As Date TROOPS OVERSEAS TO VOTE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received August 21, 6.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, August 21. The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) announced today that the Federal election for the Senate and House of Representatives will be held on September 21. Nominations day is September 7. The House of Representatives will dissolve not later than next Monday. Complete arrangements have been made to enable Australian overseas troops to record their votes. The election campaign will be one of the shortest on record and will be mostly confined to the newspapers and

the radio, although Mi’ Menzies hopes to cover as much of Australia as possible. The former Premier of New South Wales, Mr B. S. B. Stevens, announced that he intends to contest a Lang suburban seat which at present is represented by a Labour Party member. The Lang seat is in no way connected with Mr J. T. Lang. I MINING OF BALTIC BY R.A.F. (British Official Wireless) (Received August 21, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 20. The mining of the Baltic from aeroplanes has been systematically carried out by the Royal Air Force Bomber and Coastal Commands since the opening of the Norwegian campaign. More than 600,000 miles have been flown on this duty and the results measured both in enemy losses and the disorganization of his shipping have amply justified the constant journeys. Devised after close consultation between naval and air experts the minelaying expeditions require considerable navigational skill in their execution and the crews of these machines take great pride in dropping their burdens with the greatest nicety in mouths of rivers, across traffic routes and often actually within the harbours themselves. Few reports of the success of these operations ever reach the public, but it can be stated that in two out of many minefields laid 1' Nazi ships are known to have been sunk and many more damaged.