MILITARY MISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24416, 30 September 1940, Page 4

MILITARY MISSION

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA ARMY AND AIR CHIEFS SATISFACTORY RESULTS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. Well satisfied with the result of their mission. Major-general Sir John Duigan, chief of the General Staff, and Group-captain H. W. L. Caunders, chief of the Air Staff, returned to-day by the flying boat Awarua from a brief visit to Australia. The object of the visit was to promote closer co-opera-tion in the war effort of the two countries, and both officers spoke gratefully of the ready helpfulness c. all with whom they had been associated in Australia. "The visit will lead to closer cooperation in our plans and in every other way," said Sir John Duigan. " We found everyone most hospitable and helpful, from the Governor-General, Lord Gowrie, downwards. They could not do enough for us." Staff Discussions Sir John spent a considerable part of his time at Army Headquarters in Melbourne in discussions with the General Staff, and he also visited the Duntroon Military College, where he found that 16 New Zealand boys were doing very well, and had won a good name for themselves. Sir John found the Australian authorities very wide awake to the needs of the present situation, and most eager for co-operation with New Zealand. "A great many of them were commenting on the grand effort New Zealand is making, and so we are," he said. Group-captain Saunders feels that the contacts he made with the Australian Air Force authorities will certainly be most helpful. They have a very big Empire air training scheme in force there, he said, and he visited a number of the larger stations. Growth of Aircraft Industry "There are a lot of thing-, we can learn from them," he said, "and some perhaps they could learn from us. Their aircraft industry appears to be expanding rapidly. We had useful discussions on the details of co-opera-tion. The visit has been a great success, and I hope some of their representatives will be able to return it." Sir John Duigan and Group-captain Saunders returned to Wellington by train to-night, and will present their reports to the War Cabinet at an early opportunity.