EMPIRE EFFORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 November 1939, Page 4

EMPIRE EFFORTS

IN CAUSE OF ALLIED VICTORY DOMINION CONTRIBUTIONS. MILITARY & ECONOMIC AID. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 6. The military, as well as 1 he economic, contribution by the Dominions to the Allied war effort includes the mobilisation of ships and naval men and a rapid expansion of naval const ruction. The Dominions have undertaken all measures for local defence.

Canada is organising a division available as an expeditionary force, if and when required, and is taikng steps to have a second ready. Australia is mobilising a militia of 80,000, and has raised a special force of 20.000 for service in Australia or overseas. New Zealand has a special force of 6500 already in training, and South Africa is preparing forces in readiness for any emergency in Africa.

Preparations are going forward with the utmost seriousness in South Africa for a possible active share in the war. There is no lack of volunteers to bring the active citizen force units to war strength, involving a doubling of the peacetime establishment. In the economic field the contribulion by the Dominions is impossible to over-value. The remark of the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, that Canada, besides being the traditional granary of the commonwealth, may also become its arsenal is typical of the value of the Dominions’ contribution to the common cause.

Southern Rhodesia and Newfoundland are also contributing handsomely. Never before has a family of nations been more united that the British Commonwealth today. The Australian Minister of Supply, Mr R. G. Casey, in a broadcast tonight, reviewed Australia’s war measures. He said that Australia is spending 10 times as much on defence as five years ago. Her air force is rapidly expanding and the Navy, which he described as an effective force, is working very closely with the Royal Navy. .Munitions manufacturing has been built up to produce many types of weapons and ammunition. “The last thing I did before leaving Australia a bare three weeks ago was to arrange for the manufacture of some hundreds of training aircraft for many thousands of new pilots as. part of the great Empire air training scheme,” he said. “Our munitions will not only meet practically all our own requirements, but we can help to supply other British communities on cur side of the world. We produce great, quantities of wool, wheat, meat, butter, sugar, dried fruits, and metals, and all these things we can and will supply to you here to the limit of oui ability.”