WAR CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 September 1939, Page 7

WAR CABINET

FORMED IN AUSTRALIA MILITARY & OTHER PROPOSALS SPECIAL FORCE OF 20,000 MEN. IN ADDITION TO MILITIA. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright CANBERRA, September 15. During a broadcast tonight the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies announced a war Cabinet, comprising himself and also the Attorney-General, Mr Hughes, the Minister of Supply and Development, Afr Casey, the Minister of Defence, Mr Street, the Minister of External Affairs, Mr Gullett, and the .Minister of Commerce, Mr AfcLeay. The War Cabinet will conduct a day-to-day administration and will report to the full Cabinet at intervals. It will make decisions without reference to the full Cabinet. The Federal Cabinet today decided to raise immediately a special volunteer fore’e of at least 20,000 men for service at home or abroad. The enlistment and training of this force will not interfere with the present plans for intensified training of the militia which has hitherto been recruited. Cabinet also decided to increase the defence expenditure from £33.000,000 to £45,000,000 for this year. In details .of the Commonwealth supplementary taxation a further increase in the company tax is announced, bringing it to 2s in the £, and also a war-time gold-mining profit tax of 75 per cent on the price of gold over £9 (Australian) per fine ounce. The company and gold-mining profit tax will together yield £2,500,000 for the remainder of 1939-40. Mr Menzies broadcast the main features of the revised defence programme. He confirmed the Government’? intention to enlist forthwith 20,000 men for service at home or abroad as circumstances permit. Their services will be availed of for th? duration of the war, preference being given to single men not occupying essential or key jobs. These men might be used, for the defence of Australia or be garrisoned in the Pacific. Mr Menzies added that it might even be practicable to send an expeditionary force to Europe. /■' AUSTRALIAN MILITIA c MONTH’S TRAINING FOR 80,000 MEN. CANBERRA, September 15. The Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, announced tonight that the 80,000 members of the voluntary militia reesuited some time ago will be called up in two successive drafts for one month’s training.