WHAT WAR COSTS AUSTRALIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 65, 19 March 1943, Page 3

WHAT WAR COSTS AUSTRALIA

HIGH PROPORTION IN EFFORT Sydney, March 17., Nearly 60 per cent, of all men in Australia between 16 and 55 are in the lighting forces or directly engaged in war work, according to a statement oy the Minister of Supply, Mr. Beasley. By the end of June Australia will have spent £1,000,000,000 on the war —an average of £l4O per head of the population. Out oi Australia’s total male population of 2,500,000, 1,500,000 (three out of every live) are in the lighting services or war production. Ot 700,000 factory workers, 500,000 or 72 per cent., are producing arms and war equipment. Of the total working population of 5,000,000, nearly 3,500,000, or 68 per cent, are fighting, producing war supplies or engaged lull time in other essential industries. Since the war began the number ot workers in war factories has increased from 13,000 to 518,000. To-day Australia has twice as many men under arms as fought for her in the last war. “To the end ot December 1942,” said Mr. Beasley, “our total casualties were 52,148, made up oi 6826 killed, 12,371 wounded, 23,892 missing and 5059 prisoners of war.”