RECONSECRATION WEEK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 September 1941, Page 3

RECONSECRATION WEEK

OBSERVANCE IN CANADA. NATION-WIDE EFFORT AGAINST NAZI FORCES. OTTAWA, September 5. By proclamation, from September 10 to 17 is being observed throughout Canada •as a week of re-consecration of Canadian people to overthrow Nazi tyranny and to give all support io those who on land, sea and in the air are the defenders of our country. On September 10, 1939, Canada declared a state of war with Germany. Then, Canada’s soldiers, sailors and airmen, with reserves, 'totalled 68,000. Today they number 490,000. Two years ago the Canadian Navy had 15 ships and 1,700 officers and men. Now it has 250 vessels and 23,000 officers and men. The Canadian Navy with the Royal Navy has convoyed over 30,000,000 tons of supplies. The Canadian Air Force two years ago had 4,000 officers and men. Now there are 67,000 men of all classifications. All the ninety schools planned for this month under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan are now in operation. Over twice as many pilots, gunners and observers as originally planned for this time have already been turned out. Over 20,000 men have been trained in ground-crew trade schools. Canadians bought war bonds and savings certificates worth 1,460,000,000 dollars (app. £ (N.Z.) 400,000,000) and contributed about 20,000,000 dollars (app. £ (N.Z.) 5,500,000) to auxiliary war services. Freewill gifts to the Government total nearly 2,000,000 dollars (app. £ (N.Z.) 500,000). In rapidly increasing volume Canada is turning out war munitions and supplies. The production of Bren guns in July was 30 per cent over the number called for in the recently revised schedule. Two additional chemicals and explosives plants have begun to produce bringing the total in production to eighteen out of the twentythree planned. Food shipped to Great Britain includes 200,000,000 bushels of wheat, 7,000,000 barrels of flour, 13,000,0001b5. honey, nearly 15,000,000 dozen eggs, 1.000,0001b5. of concentrated milk, and thousands of tons of canned goods. By December 800,000,0001b5. of pork products will have been sent and by March 112,000,0001b5. of cheese. To aid the Press radio motion pictures mobilised to further the objective of reconsecration week. Members of Cabinet will speak on nation-wide radio .hook-ups, A special prayer will be said in all the churches. In all Canadian schools special exercises will be held to impress upon Canadian youth why Canada is at war and the issues involved in the defeat of the Axis Powers.