COMING NEARER HOME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 62, 8 June 1942, Page 4

COMING NEARER HOME

NEWS of further submarine attacks off the Australian coast brings the war nearer to New Zealand. The sensational attack on Sydney harbour was as General McArthur has assured Australians, but a prelude to a more intensified method of Japanese approach, and we did not have long to wait before the next phase was opened. On Saturday the information from the Australian war zone told of two further Japanese submarines sunk off the Australian coast by Allied Squadrons. Enemy activities, are to be anticipated on an ever-increasing scale in future, but as General McArthur has said Australia is well prepared. Already the first taste of action in mid-Australian' waters will not have a very cheering effect upon the enemy and we can feel confident that still further surprises will await any new move to attack the coastline of the island continent. The prospect of active Japanese invasion of Australia, is a problem A-vhich is exercising the minds of millions at the present moment. The formidable raid on Midway Island last Friday would seem to have some bearing upon the enemy's plans, for it would be necessary, to esure complete success, to subdue or eliminate all the surrounding Allied bases in the South Pacific before any large scale operations were embarked upon. It is pa,tent to anybody who has followed the progress of the Japanese advance into the South Seas that a strong experienced force, lies in the erstwhile Dutch possessions awaiting but the word to attack and expand still further the. long arm of Nippon into Austral waters. True the Battle of the Cora] Sea gave it temporary set back but we can rest assured that the next few weeks will be vital for this country and, will definitely force Japan to show her hand as to the nature of her war policy and the true strength of her naval and land forces.