WARTIME CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 27 June 1944, Page 4

WARTIME CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Price Control And Housing SENATOR KEANE’S VISIT TO WELLINGTON “Price control and price stabilization are working well in Australia,” said the Australian Federal Minister of Trade and Customs, Senator It. V. Keane, in an interview yesterday in Wellington. Senator Keane, who is visiting New Zealand to observe the results of the Labour administration in the Dominion, made an official call yesterday on the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr. Sullivan. A State luncheon in his honour will be given today. Senator Keane said that rents of houses in Australia had risen less than 1 per cent, since the outbreak of war. There were still some loopholes by which the unscrupulous extorted high rents for rooms, particularly in Sydney, following the influx of a great number of Allied personnel, but this was actually only a passing phase and the problem was diminishing rapidly. Liquor supplies for distribution to civilians had been cut by oue-third and that had resulted in a shortage of beer. During tlxe last two or three days in a month there might be one hotel in 50 left open. Because of the restricted quantity available, hotels could not serve beer continuously, the usual trading hours being principally between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.. and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Black marketing threatened to assume immense proportions in Australia, particularly in liquor, till special squads were detailed to clean up the racket. “Peddlers of poisoned liquor battened on Allied troops who came to assist us in throwing back the Japanese, and Customs men during their investigations of nefarious operations uncovered some amazing details.” said Senator Keane. Eradication of Evil.

Tens of thousands of pounds were extorted from servicemen by these parasites, who had organized widespread supply and distribution centres, he added. Supplies of black market liquor had been transferred from State to State by car and railroad, disguised as innocent commodities. and in some instances even planes had been used. The evil had been largely eradicated and Australia today compared more favourably in this respect with other countries at war.

Referring to the problem of housing, Senator Keane said there was an estimated shortage of some 300,000 houses In Australia. At present strict control was exercised over the use of manpower and materials, and the position really was that no private home had been erected for over two years, with the exception of special types provided in some country centres where munitions programmes had caused an enormous increase in population. In some instances temporary homes had had to be erected for munition workers. Housing was one of the most pressing problems the Australian people had to contend with. There was an acute shortage of timber, due to the great quantities used in defence programmes and allied works and to meet the needs of the United States services. The Government bad plans prepared for a huge building programme on the cessation of hostilities, and in the interim it was going ahead with a restricted programme for the erection of Government houses in various centres, mainly in capital cities. The plans envisaged the use of both private enterprise and Government construction; the immensity of the programme called for the employment of all avenues.