WAR COSTS SWELL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1941, Page 6

WAR COSTS SWELL

£186,000,000 IN AUSTRALIA. MUCH TO SHOW FOR EXPENDITURE. One of the main features of the Australian war effort, says a Commonwealth Department of Information bulletin, is the marked acceleration in production of war equipment and munitions. This, naturally, is being accompanied by tremendous increases in the national war expenditure. “Internal expenditure on war and defence in the six months to- December 31, 1940.. reached a total of just on £64,000,000—0r considerably more than the whole amount spent under this head (£55.000,000) during the previous financial year. For the full 194041 year, the Budget provides for a total war expenditure of £186,000,000, of which £143,000,000 will be spent in Australia. “By June this year, the Commonwealth’s war expenditure is expected to reach a rate of £15,000,000 a month. “In a recent statement, the Minister for Munitions (Senator Mcßride) disclosed certain details of production of war materials and equipment which gave Australians some idea of their country’s magnificent war effort. In range and scale the output is such as might well have been considered impracticable before the outbreak of war. “In the last war Australia was almost solely dependent upon Great Britain for the equipment of her fighting forces. Today, however, the Commonwealth is actually not only supplying the bulk of her own needs in this respect, but is providing an increasing contribution to the Empire’s common stock of armaments and munitions. “The following is a brief resume, issued by the Minister for Munitions, of what Australia is doing in the production of war necessities: — “Guns: Actually in production are 3.7 and 3in„ 20cwt. anti-aircraft guns; nowitzers and two-pounder anti-tank guns will soon be in full production, and also coming into production arc 3in mortars. “Gun ammunition: A complete range of components, including shell bodies, fuses, primers, cartridge cases and cartridge bags, mortar bombs, hand grenades ■ and aircraft bombs ranging from 811 b practice type to 2501 b service patterns is in full production. “Explosives: A complete range of service explosives, including propellants, high explosives and pyrotechnic materials, is in mass production. “Small arms: Rifles, Lewis gun components, Vickers machine-guns (land and right and left air-cooled aircraft patterns) are being made. “Small arms ammunition: Most of this is of the red label class, the highest quality made, and is especiallj' for use in aircraft machine-guns. There is also armour-piercing tracer and incendiary ammunition. » “Bren guns: These will bo coming into mass production very shortly. “Precision instruments: These are for equipment of artillery, and include searchlight equipment. “Armoured fighting vehicles: Armoured cars, which have now been superseded by machine-gun carriers, and which have been in production since early in the war. “Wireless sets: Of all patterns, mainly of Australian design, for all services. “On the aircraft side, Senator McBride disclosed that there was production of the general purpose Wirraway, with Pratt and Whitney Wasp engines of Australian construction; also Tiger Moth training aircraft equipped with Gipsy Major engines, both of Australian construction. “Twin-engined Bristol Beaufort reconnaissance bombers will shortly be coming into production, as also will a locally designed single-engine monoplane trainer aircraft. A locally-de-signed, twin-engined reconnaissance bomber prototype is being produced. Production of the twin-row Pratt and Whitney Wasp engine, and also a wide range of aircraft equipment and instruments can be expected. “Manufacture of such a wide range of war requirements has rightly been described as ‘a colossal achievement for Australian secondary industries.’ Much of the work is exceptionally delicate, accuracy of measurement to the minutest degree being essential. Yet most rigid Governments tests have been passed with complete success.’’