PATROL SHIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1941, Page 7

PATROL SHIPS

AUSTRALIA’S BIG PLAN. .BUILDING PROGRAMME. Australia’s Acting-Prime Minister (Mr Fadden) has announced that the largest item in the Federal Government’s naval shipbuilding programme —construction of 48 patrol ships for escort and anti-submarine work —will be completed towards the end of the year. Many of the vessels will be in commission before then. ‘•Every available slip in Australia is being used for the construction of naval ships." Mr Fadden said. "As the programme proceeds, more slips will be laid down and brought into production. The extension of slip facilities is already proceeding in yards where shipbuilding is in full swing. The provision of entirely new slips is contemplated.'’ Mr Fadden revealed that when Australia decided to build the Tribal class destroyers—the first of which, the Arunta, was now in the water —British yards doubted whether Australian facilities would be able to carry out some of the more delicate sections of machinery construction. It was suggested that these should be left to Britain. Instead Australian engineering experts had got down to the task. Toda.v parts which would have taken up valuable shipping space were being made beside the hulls in which they were to function—far out of the reach of Nazi bombing. Since the war began Australian engineers have succeeded in casting bigger bronze propellers than ever before in Australia.