WAR SUPPLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1939, Page 6

WAR SUPPLIES

munitions manufacture IN AUSTRALIA BIG ORDERS FROM BRITAIN. EXPENDITURE ON FIGHTING FORCES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. It is officially stated in Canberra that Mr R. G. Casey (Finance Minister), who is at present in London, has obtained orders from the British Government for various types of munitions to rhe value of many millions sterling. These orders will be executed in various factories in the Commonwealth and will involve an increase in munition factory operatives from 8000 to 12,000 in the next 12 months. In addition 10,000 workers will, be employed in aircraft construction. The Minister for the- Army (Mr Street) announced today that loss than 300 enemy aliens are at present interned in Australia. He added that only those actually suspect are being held. Mr Street also announced that the expenditure on the Army will be £28.000,000. on the Navy £14.500,000 and on the Air Force £12.000,000, exclusive of the cost of the Empire air training scheme. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr J. Curtin), in the House of Representatives. said the Labour Party endorsed the Commonwealth Government's war aims—an ultimate victory and a just peace. NAVAL FORCES SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION. SMALL MERCHANT SHIPS ARMED. (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) CANBERRA. This Day. A substantial expansion in the Australian naval forces since the war began was revealed by the Minister of Defence. Mr Street. He announced the establishment of the nucleus of a formidable mine-sweeping and antisubmarine service and the formation of a flotilla of examination steamers and light patrol craft. This result had been achieved by chartering and arming the smaller types of merchant ships. Mr Street said there had been added to the Naval forces thirteen minesweepers and a store-carrier, in addition to five larger ships armed and commissioned as armed merchant cruisers, three for the British Admiralty and two as an addition to the Australian Squadron. More than eighty other merchant ships still engaged in normal trade had been defensively armed in Australia.