PLANS REVISED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1938, Page 13

PLANS REVISED

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCES

VOTE TO BE ADDED TO

TOTAL OF £63,000,000

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyrlght.il (Received December 7, 9.40 a.m.)]

CANBERRA, This Day.

The Commonwealth Government's three-year defence programme has been revised in the light of the September crisis.

The Minister of Defence, Mr. G. A. Street, announced in the House of Representatives last night that the expenditure is to be increased from £44,500,000 to £63,000,000, to be apportioned among\ the various fighting services. The sum of £20,000,000 is to be devoted to the naval programme, £19,750,000 to the army programme, and the remainder to air; and anti-aircraft defences.

The Government intends to con^ struct at Cockatoo Dockyard two Tribal class destroyers with a speed of 36| knots and a displacement ton* nage*of 1850, and also twelve extremely modern motor torpedo-boats.

Considerable sums will be spent on building up reserves of oil fuel, refitting naval establishments, providing stores and reserves of ammunition and war equipment, and increase ing. the anti-aircraft defences.

CO-ORDINATION WITH BRITAIN.

The strength of the Royal Austra* lian Air Force will be increased to1212 first-line machines, with full reserves. A new air base will be established at Tpwnsville.

The extended programme also provides for the establishment of a defence base for mobile naval air force planes at Port Moresby.

Mr. Street made it dear that the soul of Australia's defence preparations lay in coordination with, <the British Navy.

"We look to Britain in an emergency to station at Singapore a fleet of sufficient strength to safeguard the interests of the Empire in the Eastern Hemisphere," he said. "There has been; much loose talk about the recent crisis proving that this could not be done. On the contrary, the Government has sound grounds to be' re» assured on this point."

The Treasurer, Mr. R. G. Casey, an* nounced that to complete the financing of the programme substantial borrowing would be necessary, including the raising of moneys on the London market.

Subsequently a Bill was introduced to authorise the borrowing of an additional £10,000,000 for defence.