WAR EQUIPMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1943, Page 3

WAR EQUIPMENT

CANADA’S FREE GIFT TO ALLIES INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA. ON BASIS OF STRATEGIC NEED. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) CANBERRA, February 9. New Zealand and Australia will share in a Canadian gift of 1000 million dollars (N.Z. 300,000,000) in war supplies to the United Nations. This was announced today in the Canadian House of Commons by the Minister of Finance, Mr Usey.

Highlights of the address were cabled to the Canadian High Commissioner in Australia, Mr Justice Davis. The exact amount of the supplies, which include aircraft, tanks and artillery, which are to be received by New Zealand and Australia is not yet known.

Mr Usey told the Canadian Parliament that the similar gift to Britain last year had now been used up, and the new policy of aid to the United Nations was being introduced in the United Nations Mutual Aid Bill. Canada would share her production of essential war supplies with the other United Nations on a basis of strategic need. The Canadian Parliament would be asked at once to appropriate dollars for the production and transfer of such war supplies. In introducing the Bill, Mr Usey made these points: “Canada desires to continue sending supplies to Russia to the heroic Red Army and to the hardworking men and women who made its success possible. We want-to play our part in providing China with everything that can be transported to her so that she may strike back at Japan as quickly and effectively as possible.” I FINANCIAL DETAILS SHARING ABUNDANT SUPPLIES PARALLEL TO LEND-LEASE OTTAWA, February 8. The Finance Minister, Mr Usey, announced in the House of Commons that Canada is establishing a War Supplies Allocation Board under which supplies will be transferred’ direct to the Allies on a credit basis. Countries which have Canadian credits will be expected to pay for goods till their credits are exhausted. After that the new credit scheme will be applicable. Canada will take over Britians 200,000,000, dollar interests in Canadian war plants, thereby helping the United Kingtom to meet the deficit on Canadian acount to March 31.

The new plan makes it possible to transfer Canadian supplies directly to Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and other parts of the Commonwealth in the sterling area.. Previously Australia and New Zealand have first purchased Canadian dollars from Britain before getting Canadian supplies. The new credit scheme is described unofficially as the Canadian parallel to lend-lease. Mr Ilsley said. “It is our national duty and privilege to share our abundant supplies with the other United Nations. No finanial impediment should be allowed to interfere with this sensible sharing of our war production.” The Canadian legation at Washington said that Mr Ilsley’s billion dollar lendlease programme will embrace all the United Nations. While it is described as essentially lend-lease it will stress the gift idea. TRUE EQUALITY EACH NATION DOING WHAT IT CAN. MR STIMSON’S TESTIMONY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 8. The United States Secretary of War, Mr Stimson, testifying before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, which is considering the extension of lease-lend, said, according to a Washington message, that abandonment of lease-lend would mean a most serious dislocation of the United Nations’ war effort, which might very easily prove fatal. “Victory is not to be measured by the dollars sign,” Mr Stimson said. “As long as each ‘of the nations contributes the most it can each contributes equally."