N.S.W. POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 April 1941, Page 5

N.S.W. POLICY

SUPPORT FOR COMMONWEALTH WAR EFFORT SPEECH BY STATE PREMIER. WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) SYDNEY', This Day. In a policy speech last night the Premier, Mr Alexander Mair, declared that the State Government, if returned, would continue to stand four-square behind the Commonwealth Government, in helping to win the war. Mr Mair went on to explain the extent to which his Government was already cooperating in building strategic railways, roads, bridges, munition factories, annexes, aerodromes, aircraft parts and munitions and forgings for rifle ranges and military camps.' In addition it was providing water and electricity services and all other amenities required by the military camps and persons engaged in war tasks. Mr Mair said the Forestry Department had tested 9,000 samples of timber to determine their suitability for aircraft. The Education Department had trained hundreds of young men as technicians for defence jobs. The Police Department had COO officers dealing solely with Commonwealth requirements, safeguarding against sabotage and investigating cases of thousands of aliens. The Health Department was constantly examining water and food.samples at military camps. The Government had granted liberal travelling concessions to soldiers’, costing £850,000 a year. Other activities included the provision of emergency food stocks, three months’ supply of which had been laid down at all country centres. Mr Mair assured the electors that the Government would continue its liberal housing and social services policy and create an organisation for the technical training of young folk in country centres. He mentioned that social services at present were costing £4,302,000 a year, and technical education £700,000. Taxation remissions would be continued. He announced that the budget would be balanced in the coming year. Unemployment bad been reduced from 200.000* in 1932 to 52.800 in 1939 and to 22,000 at the end of last year.