MUNITIONS SUPPLY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20031, 1 September 1939, Page 7

MUNITIONS SUPPLY

AUSTRALIA’S SCHEME

WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

ALL-ROUND ACCELERATION

MELBOURNE, Aug. 23,

Completion of the munitions supply three years’ programme by early in 1941—several months ahead' of schedule —is expected by the Supply Department. This achievement, secured- by an unprecedented expansion of staff, the working of double shifts and all-round acceleration, will bring within sight the goal of national seif-containment in. munition production.

Production figures 'indicate that the total output for 1938-39 was worth about £2,000,000. With the accelerated rate it is estimated' that this figure will be considerably exceeded in the current year, which will end on June 30 next.

A preliminary survey of the department -this week showed the following progress;—Values of factories, machinery and reserves of material, .£5,500,000; employees, 5892 (compared with 3283 a year ago); 25 armament annexes, involving an expenditure of £1,086,000, are being sot up in, association with Government -railway workshops and prominent engineering works; output of shells is now three times greater than it was two years ago; Vickers guns are being produced at Lithgow (New South Wales) at a rate four times greater than a year ago: the value of contracts increased in 1938-39 to £2,250,000, compared with £940,000 two years ago.

Objectives of the current threeyear munitions 'programme are:— Expansion of existing resources of production by modernisation and extension of factories; additions to the gun ammunition factory for the production of cartridge cases for antiaircraft ammunition; additions to the ordnance factory for the production of a new type of anti-aircraft gun and mountings; and- additions to the machine-gun factory for the production of the Bren machine-gun.