Hospital ips, for serving Australia' have been provided and put into operation. In this connection I should like to mention a recent very generous gesture of the Government of the Netherlands East Indies. which, in token of its admiration for the exploits of the Austra-lion and New Zealand forces over-stas and of its close friendship with these two countries, has placed at their service for the duration of the the 20.000 ton liner Oranje. for use hospital ship.
ip. of most modern and s design and air-conditioned throughout, is to be fitted in Australia to take 800 hospital beds. and the cost of fitting and of operating the ship is to be borne by the Government of the Netherlands East In-Gies. I need hardly say that this very graceful gesture is deeply appreciated.
Australia's share under the Empire Scheme is well ahead Up to the end of February last, over 160,000 men had applied, representing a rate of one application every 315 minutes, day and night, By the end of March a total of over 44,000 men had been accented, of which about 14,000 were for air crew personnel, and the remainder for ground staff, As regards the activities of our Forces overseas, there is no need for me to enlarge on the achievements of the Australian Imperial Force, for already in two separate campaign they have acquitted them-solve sly and have done great honour to their coun Ships of to the Australian Navy dis-Royal tinguished themselves several successful actions last year and sank a number of enemy vessels, and more recently Australian ships took very effective parts in the Battle of Matapan and in the evacuation from Greece,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.