VISIT TO AUSTRALIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1940, Page 6

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA

DEFENCE MINISTER’S BUSY TIME MUCH GROUND COVERED. ANTICIPATION OF RESULTS. (By Telegraph—Press Asociation.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Interviewed on his return by the Flying-boat Ao-te-aroa from a brief visit to Australia, the Minister of Defence (Mr Joneslsaid that though he was actually in Australia for only two days, 17 hours, he was able to make personals contacts with Commonwealth and State Ministers, officials and business men, as well as renew acquaintance with very many New Zealand callers.” He also availed himself of the opportunity to see his brother for the first time in the last 27 years. “I met Mr Street, Federal Minister of Defence, who flew from Melbourne to Sydney specially for the purpose of discussing defence matters in general,” Mr Jones continued. In our deliberations we spent a considerable time in improving the arrangements already existing for the supply of equipment for New Zealand troops. Because of the war we are experiencing delay in obtaining from Great Britain and Australia supplies that we need, and after going through in detail our present and future requirements I was able to obtain from Mr Street clear understanding of the position. He was most grateful to know what our probable demands would be, and I am pleased to be able to say that the very extensive preparations Australia is making to further production of war essentials will remove from my mind any cause for future anxiety. A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. “I could not have obtained a better illustration of the solidarity and strength of purpose of the Empire than that exemplified by my talk with the Federal Minister of Defence. We exchanged ideas and proposals, offered and received suggestions, and the outcome of the decisions will, I am certain, be of benefit to both countries.” Mr Jones said he was invited to inspect the factory and workshop of Amalgamated Wireless, Australasia, and he spent a very informative and interesting hour there. Among the Federal and State legislators he met were the Leader of the New South Wales Labour Party, Mr W. J. McKell, and some of the Federal and State Labour members, who were keenly interested in the work of the New Zealand Government. VALUE OF AIR SERVICE. The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Menzise, was unfortunately unable to spare himself from his duties to attend the Centennial celebrations, but Australia would be represented by Senator Mcßride, who with Mrs McBride travelled across with him in the Ao-te-aroa. “This air journey, the longest I have’ undertaken,” said Mr Jones, “showed me quite definitely what an acquisition to New Zealand and Australia the regular service will be when it is brought into operation. I am satisfied that the service will become popular with Australians and New Zealands alike, and a great future is ahead of one of the last links in the all-Red Empire chain of air communications. Senator Mcßride and I discussed during the trip many aspects of administration common to both countries, particularly in the light of war conditions, with so little inconvenience that we might well have imagined we were sitting in an office.’