DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 7

DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA

■ . » GENERAL PRINCIPLE ADOPTED. 'Elaborating recently an .announce-; ment he had matin that it was proposed to constitute, a Defence Council for Australia, the Acting-Prime Minister (Senator Pearco) explained that the derails had already been planned* out, and the general principle and the outline of the scheme as a whole had been adopted by tiie Cabinet.. But the final adoption of the scheme in its entirety-would not be decided upon until the arrival of Mr. Hughes, who would be president, of the proposed council. It was just, possible that some of the activities with which Mr. Hughes was himself specially concerned might come 1 within the' scope of the. council. Referring to the various committees whose activities will be embraced by tl\c Defence Council, Senator. Pcarce said that many of these committees were now at work. For instance, the Munitions Committee had already conducted import/nit investigations in regard to the question of the manufacture of acetone. The details of this had been worlied out by a sub-commit-tee, .consisting of Mr. do liavay, Mr. X. Iv. Brodribb, acting-ninnager'of the Commonwealth Cordite Factory, and Mr. Lewis, chief inspector of explosives for Victoria. Mr. de Havay had worked out, the system to lie adopted, and the'plans were now in course of preparation under his supervision. Works we're to' be established in Queensland. Other sub-committees h.-xl :i1.>.0 been at work, including oue dealing with the question of high fixplosn i.s, and one or two that had been dea ling with technical subjects. When the Coijii<\jJ of Defence was established, explained Senator Pearco, it was intended that these various sub-committees i-hoidd be absorbed by the council, instead of being, as at present., under the Minister of Defence. Although at present they were subject to the control ..of the Defenco Department, it, could readily be seen they touched on other matter's altogether outside' tlin province of defenco administration. J.n fact, in some cases they, affected other Departments of the Government, and this applied to the directorate of munitions, which often dealt with questions affecting the Customs Department. It was' therefore probable that once the Defence Council was established, this directorate would pass out of the. control of the Defence Department Senator Pcarce adoed that when these, committees were formed under the permanent' secretariat, any Department whicn might be concerned would have representation upon tl:« council.