Good government pledges by Menzies, no long list of promises.  MELBOURNE, Wednesday. -The Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, offered Australia good government - rather than a long list of promises - when he opened his election campaign tonight. But he made one specific promise. He said the Government, if re-elected on December 9, would reduce from 20 years to 10 the residential period needed to qualify for the old-age pension. Mr. Menzies made it clear that the Government was confident of victory on its record of continuing policies, ever strengthening the present and building for the future. The Prime Minister delivered his policy at Kew City Hall to an overflow crowd of about 1900 people and to a nation-wide radio audience. It is because of one vision that we have one total policy, he said. Not a thing of shreds and patches and cash promises for next week or next month, but a single conception of which what we have done was an expression and what we aim to do is a continuing projection. Mr. Menzies appealed for support in both the House of Representatives and Senate elections. If you do not give us a majority in both Houses, you will have elected my Government effectively for six months only, not three years, he said.  Labour divided. In his 6000 word speech, Mr Menzies-  - Discussed the credit squeeze imposed last November and said the Government had now defeated inflation and lifted its last emergency economic measure restriction on bank credit.  - Warned Australia of grave Communist threats to world peace.  - Attacked the Australian Labour Party as a divided part, pushed around by its left wing, with its candidates lacking experience, judgment and standing.  - Outlined major national development works, involving about $200 million, now under way.  Prosperity and Development. Under us, as your repeated choice, Australia has, beyond question, developed and prospered, Mr Menzies said. Its growth over the last decade has been phenomenal, as nobody can fairly deny. Abroad, its credit stands higher than ever before in its history. It attracts in remarkable degree the practical interest of investors and industrialists. In international councils, its voice is heard and respected. Its geographical isolation has been countered by growing and successful diplomatic contacts and by international agreements.  Plans for the future. During his speech, and in supplementary statements issued later, Mr Menzies said his Government would:  - Protect and strengthen free productive and business enterprise against monopoly or restrictive practices.  - Give most sympathetic consideration to the voting rights of aborigines.  - Discuss with state Premiers the possibility of establishing a water resources council to assist national water supply and storage projects.  - Investigate the establishment of Australian warehouses in selected markets overseas to increase exports.  - Negotiate further agreements with the dairying industry and the wheat industry and support an efficient tobacco growing industry.  In discussing the credit squeeze, Mr. Menzies said his opponents might object that talk of building for tomorrow was inconsistent with the Government's policies of last November. Those policies were designed not to impede progress but to remove impediments to progress, he said. An inflationary boom increases the cost of developmental works, makes it more difficult to raise loan moneys for essential works, raises the costs of our export commodities, encourages land speculation and other forms of gambling and discourages savings and investment. My Government was not prepared to permit a boom to roar on to the inevitable burst. We felt that it should be quelled and a normal state of affairs restored. We knew this would be unpleasant for some, but we believed that our actions would protect many more people against a collapse, and that the progress of national development would in consequence go on more soundly and steadily. Mr. Menzies said the most discussed by-product of the government's policies had been some temporary unemployment. The unemployment position had been steadily improving for some months and should continue to do so. It is a painful business to stop an inflationary boom, he said. Some who have profited by the boom lose some of their business or profits. Some of their employees have to seek other employment. For the men and women so rendered temporarily unemployed, we have a profound sympathy. In spite of suggestions in some quarters we have never forgotten or underestimated their professional problem. Percentage statistics are of no comfort to them, though such statistics must be taken into account by Government responsible for the overall economic state of the nation. Our special financial provisions in recent months how that our objective is the useful employment of all who are willing and able to work. We can point with pride to the fact that there has never been a period of 12 years in the history of Australia when employment was so high, when so much development occurred and when true living standards rose so much.  Problem is magnified. Our opponents magnify the employment problem for election purposes. It will be for you to decide whether you believe that business prosperity, employment opportunities, capital investment, national growth and international trade will be greater under a socialist administration. Mr. Menzies said the A.L.P. would pipe-down on socialism for the next three weeks. They do not want you to remember that the socialist policy, in action, would bring about such confusion in private industry and such distrust in the minds of investors, both overseas and at home, that unemployment would increase heavily and the national progress would be halted, he said. We believe that the national economy is healthy, that there is no reason for pessimism, and that the greatest enemies of the future progress are those who prophesy disaster and try to persuade you that a depression is just around the corner. Mr. Menzies said today, was no time, with grave world Communist threats, to elect a party as divided as the A.L.P. Communist threats and aggression are more violent than at any time since the war, he said. The arrogance and wickedness of the recent Soviet nuclear and thermonuclear explosions has produced an atmosphere of crisis and danger. Mr. Menzies said with the present Communist-inspired trouble in South-East Asia, Australia could become isolated unless it maintained strong and effective alliances in SEATO and ANZUS. Yet I cannot recall the Labour Party saying a good word about either, he said. Our defence forces and equipment, added to a massive research and development program in such matters as guided missiles, are at the greatest peak of preparation we have ever seen in time of peace. Labour would substantially reduce the defence vote, but we regard adequate defence provision as a vital element in foreign policy. We cannot live comfortably without such agreements of mutual security, and protection as ANZUS and SEATO, to say nothing of our oldest, most durable, and most tested association with Britain and the other British countries. We will not only honour our obligations; we will preserve our capacity to do so.  “Very Best” Done For Girl, Says Welfare Minister.  The case of a 14-year old Condobolin girl who was commuted to a denominational home was one of those unfortunate cases that do crop up in a town like this, the Minister for Child Welfare, Mr. F. R Hawkins, said yesterday. Mr. Hawkins was replying in the Legislative assembly to questions first put by Mrs. A. E. Press (Ind. Lab.), in the legislative Council on Tuesday. He said the very best had been done for the girl. Mrs. Press said later that Mr. Hawkins had dodge very issue and had failed to explain why the girl had been locked in a cell for three days before appearing before a magistrate. She asked how man other cases there were of children thrown into police cells because no other accommodation is available to them. On Tuesday Mrs. Press asked for a full report of a case in which, she said, a 14-year-old girl was thrown into gaol like common criminal for three days and three nights at Condobolin. She said the girl was carried unconscious from the Children's Court at Condobolin last Wednesday and taken by ambulance to t Condobolin District Hospital. There she was placed under heavy sedation, discharged at a late hour that night, then taken in a small car to Sydney.  Great Deal Of Public Concern. Mrs. Press, who gave the girl's name and address, asked that Mr. Hawkins reveal the whereabouts of the girl, give an assurance that the child was not being al, had not been cruelly persecuted, and reveal on whose authority and fir what reason she was thrown into gaol. In the Legislative Assembly yesterday, Mr. W. Lawrence (Lib., Drummoyne) asked Mr. Hawkins whether the case of the little girl in the Condobolin district was causing a great deal of public concern. Mr. Hawkins said the girl was brought before the Court as reported, and two local families had offered to take her into their homes. It is also a fact, which has not been reported in the Press, that there is another case pending in the same district, he said. A charge is pending against a young man.  Whole Of Facts Were Stated. The whole of the facts were stated before a magistrate, who made a decision in the light of the knowledge that this girl could go to this or that home, or be committed to my care, or to denominational home. If the decision is causing anybody concern, the family of the girl can appeal to a higher Court within 21 days. On the matter of the girl being incarcerated in the gaol, the fact is that in all these cases, I have instructed my officers in the country that wherever possible they should arrange for a girl in such circumstances to be placed in a remand home. If, however, in the interests of safety of the girl it is not desirable to place her in some other person's care, the girl is placed in the care of the local lockup keeper and his wife, and usually, where there is room, she is taken into the home. I have not received a report. The only report I have is that the sergeant at Condobolin is an excellent man and that his officers do excellent work. The girl is not in my care. She was committed by the magistrate to a denominational home. She was brought to Sydney by her brother, who got special leave from his job to look after her, and he is taking a keen interest in her welfare.  Not In Cell All The Time. It is all very well to say that the girl ought not to have been incarcerated. She was not in the cell all the time. She was in the yard during the day and was looked after by the policeman and his wife. The alternative was that we could have brought her to Sydney and sent her to a home, and then taken her back again. The magistrate remanded her to the care of her stepmother but she did not remain in her care. Subsequently, after being remanded, she again appeared before the Court and again absconded from her home. She was away from her home from early one morning until 11 o'clock the following night, when she was picked up again. In the light of these facts, I don’t think anything should be said about her detrimentally. It is our responsibility to rehabilitate this girl.  Unfortunate girls. Mrs. Press, who listened to Mr. Hawkins from the gallery, said later that he was more concerned with defending the system than with assisting the child. He suggested I was seeking headlines, she said. If I can get headlines by being on the side of unfortunate girls like this one who have very few friends, I will be looking for headlines for the rest of the nine years that I am in Parliament. Let the Minister say how many other cases there are of children being thrown into police cells because no other accommodation is available to them.  Police hustle students from Rowdy Menzies election meeting.  MELBOURNE, Wednesday. Four Policemen escorted three banner-carrying students from the election policy meeting of the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies at Kew City Hall tonight. The students were among a group of 200 who demonstrated against the White Australia policy at one of the rowdiest policy speech meetings Mr Menzies has ever addressed. The hall was packed with 1200 people seated and another 300 standing against the walls. An overflow crowd of about 400 was in an adjacent hall. Mr Menzies was cheered as he entered the hall, and at he rose to open his speech. From the beginning Mr Menzies was subjected to a running fire of interjections, most of them good humoured, but they soon appeared to rattle him. After six months he angrily broke from his prepared speech and said: Don’t worry about those silly yahoos at the back. This only encouraged his critics scattered throughout the hall, who from then on kept up an almost ceaseless fire. Mr Menzies went on for two or three minute, attempting to ignore them and keeping his mind on his radio audience, but time and time again he was stung to angry retort. Half an hour after his speech started, the university students who had staged a protest outside against the White Australia policy crowded the back of the hall. They were carrying placards and a youth and a girl walked up the centre aisle with one @ Bar Colour bar. Police hustled them away but the episode seemed to rattle the Prime Minister even more. Ladies and gentlemen, take no notice of them, he shouted. They are just impostors posing as university students. They have never passed their matriculation!  Microphone fades. Mopping his brow angrily, Mr Menzies glared at the big group of students in the back of the hall, saying: a lot of them would never be at the university but for my government. The meeting grew rowdier when Mr Menzies’ microphone @ the hall faded for a few minutes. @ Pattie Menzies and all senior members of Federal Cabinet were on the platform with the Prime Minister, with several junior Ministers and the Victorian Premier, Mr H.E. Bolte. Several senior Ministers looked worried as their leader appeared to @ under the continued stream of interjections. After Mr Menzies finished speaking, chanting students, waving anti-White Australia placards, surged around his waiting car. Mr Menzies stood bareheaded by his car for a minute while policemen forced back the crowd and wrested banners from them. As he stepped into the car he was showered with pamphlets and demonstrators banged on the roof while he drove off. The leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr. A.A. Calwell, tonight dissociated the ALP from the demonstration. Mr Calwell, who listened to the Prime Minister from his home at Ascot Vale, said: Mr Menzies has had his say tonight. I shall reply to him in any policy speech tomorrow night.  Strong Plea For majority in Upper House.  MELBOURNE, Wednesday. - The Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, in his policy speech tonight appealed to voters to return his Government to power with a Senate majority.  Without a Senate majority, his Government would be elected effectively for six months only, he said. Under the existing system of voting for the Senate, no Government can hope for a large majority in that House, and every, government may well be from time to time, in a Senate minority, even though handsomely returned in the House of Representatives, Mr Menzies said. Yet the Senate has great powers. It can throw out a Budget or refuse Supply. It can refuse to pass any legislation. If, therefore, you re-elect my government, but the government does not have a majority in the Senate, the nation’s legislation and finances will be at the mercy of the very Opposition which you would have rejected in the House of Representatives. The only way to avoid such an absurdity is to give us a majority in both Houses. When in December such a spectacular way, we faced a hostile Senate. It took 18 months of frustration, and a double dissolution, before a legislative proposal approved by you could pass both Houses and go on to the statute book. Summing up his speech, Mr. Menzies described his ALP opponents as divided and disorganised and lacking experience, judgment and standing. There may be some, I find it hard to believe, who would wish to see our foreign policy, our trade relations, our territorial responsibilities, our financial and economic affairs put into the hands of opponents. But the remarkable fact is that, if elected, the Labour ministers and members of Parliament will not obey their own rules, be in charge of these great affairs. The astonishing fact is that their duty will be to a non-elected @, not elected by you, outside body called the Federal Conference of the Australian Labour Party.  Obscure gentlemen.  Mr. Menzies said rule 1 of the ALP’s Federal Conference stated: The Federal Conference of the party shall be the supreme governing authority and policymaking body, and its decisions shall be binding upon all State branches and affiliates thereto, and upon the Federal and State Parliamentary Labour Parties and upon the Federal Executive. It would almost seem that at this election you are not in truth being asked by Labour to vote Mr. Calwell and whoever now either nominally or actually supports him in Opposition, into power. You are being asked to hand over the international and national policies of Australia in the obscure but powerful gentlemen of the Federal Conference of A.L.P. This provide the final reason why we ask you to renew our mandate to go on building a great nation for a great people. In a supplementary statement issued after his speech. Mr. Menzies said that a large number of amendments to the Commonwealth Constitution had been recommended by an all-party committee. Time has not permitted us to reach conclusions on such complex matters, he said. I therefore need say no more in a policy speech than that should we decide to promote any amendment or amendments, the constitutional procedures for a referendum will give the people the right to decide the matter. Other points made by Mr. Menzies were:  Restrictive practices. We desire, in co-operation with State Governments to do something to protect and strengthen free productive and business enterprise against monopoly or restrictive practices. The Attorney-General has done a great deal of work both here and in overseas countries, such as Britain and the United States, where special laws exist. On the other hand, the public interest must be paramount: exploitation must not occur. The Attorney-General investigations and conferences have not yet reached a point at which Cabinet decisions can be taken. When such decisions are taken and legislation prepared, we will, having introduced the legislation, allow it to be open to public examination and criticism for six months so that no proper consideration will be overlooked.  Industrial relations.  Housing. Since 1950, 907000 houses and flats have been constructed in Australia. The Commonwealth had provided £780 million towards this development.  New Guinea and Papua. The Government is spending more each year on this responsibility. Australia’s record in helping primitive neighbours in this will stand comparison anywhere in the world.  Industrial relations. In no year since 1951 has the number of days lost from industrial disputes been as large as those lost in any year from 1945 to 1949.  Trade balance depends on new exports.  Melbourne, Wednesday. Australia would continue to have periodical balance of payments troubles until it increased and varied its exports, the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, said tonight. He said the Federal Government would investigate the establishment of Australian warehouses in selected overseas markets to help boost exports. Studies by the Export Development Council and by trade consultants suggested that such a scheme had promising prospects. Australia is one of the 10 leading trading nations, Mr. Menzies said. We generate a great demand for imports, most of which are materials and plant for local manufacturing. We pay for these by our exports and other moneys secured abroad.  Disturbing Measures. Because of our major dependence on primary exports, our balance of payments tends to vary sharply with world prices or seasonal conditions at home. Such variations sometimes give rise to government measure, which you and we find irritating and disturbing. Yet such problems will continue to occur unless w can increase our exports and diversify their character with a growing emphasis upon manufactured and processed goods, the prices of which do not as a rule fluctuate wildly. Mr. Menzies said agricultural and pastoral products would for years, continue to predominate in Australia exports. The Government would do all in its power to stimulate them. In its export expansion drive, the Government already had:  - Expanded its trade commissioner services, opening successful new posts in over 20 places in all continents and increased the trade publicity vote 60 times.  - Instituted the Export Payments Insurance Corporation, which was already insuring transactions in 120 countries.  - Provided substantial tax incentives tin the export of manufactures and organised major trade and survey missions. Mr. Menzies said the government would continue its policy of protecting economic and efficient Australian industry through the Tariff Board.  Export earnings.  The Government would examine possible ways overcoming the difficulties of certain Australian industries where production efficiency and a reasonable cost level required the maintenance of a high volume output. Mr Menzies said the A.L.P. wanted to solve the balance of payments problem not by increasing export earnings but by licensing imports. That system, which is applicable only when balance of payments problems render it unavoidable, is in its nature arbitrary and bureaucratic, he said. The Labour Party would also, it appears, use arbitrary import licensing to afford temporary protection to industries threatened by imports. We prefer the scientific fixing of tariffs by the system to which I have referred. Mr. Menzies said the record private capital inflow in recent years had greatly helped industrial expansion and employment. But we must not get into the habit of depending upon it to correct a deficiency of exports, he said. We must develop our own country and its resources as fast as we can. Investment from overseas will be attracted by stable government and a secured economy, but could easy dry up if we produced an unstable government and wild financial measures.  Britain and The Common Market  Mr Menzies said many Australian industries were deeply involved in the proposed entry of Britain into the European Common Market. All I need say tonight is that we have had expert officials in London, in close conference with the United Kingdom for some time, he said. We have A Cabinet Committee and an official committee regularly meeting in Australia and I myself am in regular communication with Mr Macmillan (the British Prime Minister). We are seeking to establish ways and means of securing an Australian voice on appropriate occasions when our special interests are involved. The time will come, nobody can say how soon, when Australian ministers will need to go abroad to battle for the Australian export industries and lend weight to the efforts of our British friends. We are not novices. We are not unknown to be leaders of other countries or their senior advisers. We have, we hope, achieved some special capacity to influence overseas thought and decision.  Progress seen in primary industry.  Melbourne, Wednesday. Australia's sheep population had risen by 40 million and wool production had increased 50 per cent during the Federal Government's term of office, the Prime minister, Mr Menzies said tonight. Meat production had increased by 33 per cent and sugar by 40 per cent, he said. Farm life had been assisted by the government’s special depreciation allowance of 20 per cent a year on farm employees housing, which would be renewed for another five years when it expired next June.  Orderly Marketing. Mr. Menzies said the Government would continue orderly marketing and stabilisation schemes in industries such as wheat, dairying, dried fruits, canned fruits and eggs. We have extended the present sugar agreement until May 1962, and will, when returned, negotiate another agreement with the Queensland Government, he said. We will negotiate further agreements with the dairying industry and the wheat industry. In wool, we await the report of the special committee. Our guarantee to cotton continues until 1963, when, we will be prepared to consider an extension on terms to be negotiated. The government will support an efficient tobacco-growing industry. The objective of the policy will be to provide a market related to Australian demand and a satisfactory price to growers for Australian grown leaf of a quality acceptable to Australian smokers.  BIG PROSPECTS FOR GROWTH IN NORTH.  MELBOURNE, Wednesday. - National growth in Australia's north would be a great feature of the next decade, the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, said tonight. We believe that for the sake of our national future we must develop and use the north, he said. He said the Government believed that the north’s possibilities, particularly in minerals and cattle, were enormous. The government had conducted active research into water resources in the Northern Territory and the Snowy Mountains. We think the time has arrived for the co-ordination of methods of research and the pooling of the important information which can be obtained, he said. Already much good work is being done in various States. I propose to take up with the Premiers and with the Territorial authorities the idea of establishing a water resources council so that the highest level of basic information on our Australian water resources can be secured and made available. Mr. Menzies said that in the last few weeks of Parliament the government had competed negotiations and secured authorising legislation for national projects worth about £200 million. Of the total the Commonwealth was financing about £70 million. The Projects included:  - Modernisation and rebuilding of the Mt. Isa- Townsville –Collinsville railway in north Queensland. This will enable a most remarkable development in mining, particularly copper, in Mt. Isa, Mr Menzies said.  - Mechanical improvement of coal ports in New South Wales and Queensland. This will permit of greatly increased exports of coal, he said.  - Provision of modern rolling stock and diesel locomotives for the Broken Hill Port Pirie railway chiefly in South Australia. Establishment of an iron and steel industry in Western Australia. The overall cost of this immense scheme is estimated at £42 million, of which the Commonwealth will initially find £35 million, Mr Menzies said.  Building of beef roads.  - Construction of export beef roads. We have just secured parliamentary approval for the provision of £5 million to Queensland for this purpose, he said. Mr Menzies said the Government was encouraging, in the most practical ways, the search for oil. In our time, scores of millions of pounds have been invested in oil refineries, which have achieved an export capacity and are in fact earning substantial export income, he said. Nothing can prevent the most amazing developments in the next decade so long as we avoid the dead hand of reactionary socialism.  9000 to vote overseas.  CANBERRA. Wednesday. More than 9.000 Australians living overseas are expected to vote in the Federal election on December 9, the Chief Electoral Officer for the Commonwealth, Mr F.L. Ley, said today. When nominations for the election closed yesterday, officials began printing the necessary 12 million ballot papers. Advance supplies ad already been dispatched to all overseas posts. Mr Ley said the Senate ballot paper in New South Wales would consist of nine groups of 25 candidates, making it the biggest ballot paper in any Australian election. He asked voters to exercise great care in marking their ballot papers to reduce the informal vote from the appallingly high figure of more than 10 per cent in 1958. Electors were required to mark a preference for all candidates otherwise their vote would be wasted, he said. Pledge by McEwen to protect Industries.  SHEPPARTON (Vic.), Monday. The Federal Government would stand by any Australian industries harmed by Britain's proposed entry to the European Common Market, the Leader of the Country Party and Minister for Trade, Mr J. McEwen, said tonight.  Mr McEwen said the Government would use its best efforts to protect al Australian industries in the negotiations with the Common Market countries on the terms of Britain's entry. But if, unhappily, any industries were grievously harmed, the Government pledged itself to stand by them. Mr McEwen was opening the Country Party campaign for the Federal election on December 9. About 150 people quarterfilled the theatre in which he spoke. They frequently applauded his speech. the first half of which as broadcast. Mr MeEwen said that it Britain joined the Common Market it would be one of the great events of history and would present a major problem for Australia. The Federal Government had reacted with vigour to safeguard Australia’s interests, which had developed during 30 years of contractual reciprocal preferences.  No Industry expendable.  We have industries, indeed whole communities built up around this preferential trade. Britain, of course, has enjoyed benefits here of at least balancing value, he said.  Mr McEwen said the Government would not accept that any single Australian industry was expendable as a price for the preservations of other industries. The whole resources of Government would be devoted to safeguarding the interests of Australian export industries as Britain negotiated to join the Common Market. We will certainly argue that if Britain  is to buy food at higher prices from the continent we will not expect, when selling our food, to receive depressed, unprofitable prices, he said. We will argue that in so major a rethinking of world trading as is involved in the likelihood of 300 million non-communist Europeans coming together in one trading bloc, it is appropriate to discuss what is fair for all who depend on the export of food and raw materials, for their economic survival. Mr McEwen suggested that the United States and other industries evolve a new concept of world price stability at fair levels for bulk commodities. Food surpluses could be discussed at a meeting of the western countries and plans examined to help the hungry people of the world. Such a Policy would satisfy the highest humanitarian concept, and contribute massively to political stability in countries where there were millions of hungry people otherwise open to Communist approaches.  Steady Decline In Export Prices.  I regard the European Common Market issue as on the one hand fraught with great danger to Australian stability, but at the same time providing one of the great opportunities of history if the needs of all free people are to be taken into account, Mr McEwen said. The Common Market negotiations and the part we play in them will be a matter of tremendous importance to the future of Australia’s economy. "Matters of such complexity and importance affecting the future prosperity of all can best be handled by a Government as broadly representative and as balanced in its interests as the present coalition between the Liberal and Country parties. Mr McEwen said that above all other policy objectives the Liberal-County Party Government was determined that Australia should be free and remain free. Communism was the ultimate denial of personal freedom and therefore the Government denounced it. The Country Party which was the first political organisation in Australia to demand that Communism be banned, also opposed Socialism as a contradiction of the concept of a free and selfreliant Australian nation. Mr McEwen said the Government would ensure that manufacturing industry in Australia had adequate, tariff protection to grow strong and expand. There was evidence that this protection had been sustained. Today there were 41 per cent more factories in Australia than in 1949, when the present Government came to power. The value of factory production was three and a half times greater than it was 12 years.  Inflation Of Costs And Values.  Mr McEwen said the Government had faced last year the problem of concentration on speculative and nonessential activity. This had led to offers of very high interest rates and inflation of costs and values, all of which constituted a threat to a stable and solid base for expansion. Export prices had been declining. If Australia last had enjoyed 1953 of export prices, it would have earned £400 million more than it received for its increased quantities of exports. This, in a nutshell, was what led the Government to introduce the economic, policies which had been distasteful and hurtful to many. But today we are confident that these inflationary and speculative pressures at home have been arrested," Mr McEwen said. He said he expected the value of rural production to increase from £1,350million today to £1.600million by 1970.  Establishing Warehouses. The value of work done in factories would increase, by 50 per cent and there would be a rise of twothirds in the value of Australia's mineral exports. To help increase Australian export income the Government would support the establishment of warehouses to carry Australian goods for sale in important centres around the world. The Government looked to the steel industry to become a more important and continuous export earner. The decision to reconstruct the railway line between Fremantle and the great iron ore deposits near @ was related to this policy. Mr McEwen said the Country Party said the country party had long advocated decentralisation. There was no doubt that if new States were created in areas they would be a major contribution to decentralisation. Mr McEwen said the election promises of the Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, were a bubble which would burst and produce a real setback to Australia’s development. A policy of expanding Australia would be meaningless without an assurance that sufficient overseas funds would be earned to provide the import needs of Australian factories. This essential for maximum employment and without it migration could not he sustained.  Congo On Our doorstep. Mr McEwen said Mr Calwell suggestion for U.N. participation in New Guinea development could lead to a Congo on our front doorstep. I greatly fear Mr.Calwell proposal to ask the United Nations to assume the cost of developing New Guinea for self-government. Mr Calwell can find 300 million a year to curry favour in Australia, but to save Australia £5 million or £10 million a year in New Guinea, he would allow Communists of the UN to get a supervising position in New Guinea. We all know that the Communists never pass an opportunity to make mischief and cause disruption, particularly in emerging countries.  MENZIES URGES CAUTION IN VOTING.  In this first national television talk of the federal election campaign, the prime minister, Mr Menzies, said last night the government’s opponents were inviting electors to make a wild experiment by electing the Labour party to power. The electors were being encouraged to an excitable act arising from the very prosperity of the country, merely to see what the Opposition could do. The opposition consistent however of people quarrelling with each other, mostly disliking each other, with hardly an ounce of mutual loyalty. There were a collection of people who have not been able to live together @ and who have not been able to govern themselves politically. Mr. Menzies said that although the government consisted of two parties. Liberal and Country, it had been completely united. We have never had any discord in my government, he said.  Capital investment.  Because Australia’s public credit was high, people overseas were willing to invest here. 1 know what my opponents say they do not like it, he added. But it will be a sad day for Australia if they do, because without the investment of capital in his country our progress would be slowed down almost immeasurable. Mr Menzies said the number of days of work lost under his government had never been as great as the lowest number lost under the preceding labour Government. This was remarkable and all the more so because many people would remember being told by his opponents. Oh, of course they will never be able to get on with organised labour. Yet we have the greatest record of industrial peace that this country can point to, Mr Menzies said. It is only when people have the opportunity of continuity of work and production that Australia can develop more and more as it has developed over the last 20 years. CALWELL LISTS MAIN POLL ISSUES  13 KEY POINTS IN POLICY.  The Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, said last night that Labour would fight the November 30 elections "broadly on all homefront issues of great national importance and deep personal concern to the electorate." In his policy speech he listed 13 main issues on which Labour asked the electorate to vote. He placed the need to promote the economic growth of the nation and its defence and foreign affairs first in his list. He said the other issues were: education and science; housing; health; northern development; social services (including child endowment and pensions); full employment; hospital benefits; repatriation; restrictive practices; trade; and the unsatisfactory state of rural industries. Mr Calwell delivered his policy speech in the Royale Ballroom, Exhibition Building, Melbourne. More than 1,000 people at the Exhibition Building heard Mr Calwell’s speech, which was also broadcast and televised throughout Australia. Labour's rural policy will be announced at Grafton tomorrow night by Mr R. T. Pollard, a former Labour Minister for Agriculture.  SUMMARY OF PLEDGES.  Mr Calwell said the most purblind Government supporter could not deny that there was widespread discontent and distrust and boredom with the present Government in every section of the community. He added: Where, for instance is the direction and the drive in government circles needed to expand our industries and to develop our empty north? They just don't exist. The nation does not surge forward with confidence as it should be doing, if we are to survive; it moves along at a jog trot, held back by a Government which swings wildly between complacency and violent panic. What is now needed is a Government that looks like a government that acts like a government and that listens to what the people and is trusted by them in return. Dealing the major issues on which labour would fight the election. Mr Calwell made these promises:  Economy: by economic planning to ensure a national growth rate of at least 51 per cent a yearat least onethird faster than at present. A national planning scheme to coordinate private and public development.  Defence. To increase Navy and Army "frontline" strength and secure the best available replacement for the Canberra bomber and the best available temporary replacement. To renegotiate with the United States, the agreement covering the U.S. naval communications base to provide for joint control, not military control, at Government level. To take the initiative in calling an international conference to discuss the possibility of declaring the southern hemisphere a nuclear-free zone. A foreign policy based firmly on membership the British Commonwealth adherence to the Australia American alliance, and loyalty to the United Nations. To insist that Australia’s voice is fully heard in the councils of its allies and Australia’s national rights and sovereignty are maintained. Seek to negotiate a clear and public treaty to cover the continued presence of Australian troops in Malaysia. Pending a treaty to regard any acts of aggression against Malaysia its breach of the UN Charter and resist them.  Education. Accept the fact that the Commonwealth has a responsibility in to regard to education. An emergency grant of £10m to the states to overcome the immediate education crisis. To double Commonwealth scholarship for university students from 5.000 to 10.000 at a cost of £5m a year. Establish a system of scholarships similar to the university scholarships for students at technical colleges, teachers' colleges and at both State and nonState secondary schools. An inquiry into all aspects of education to provide a "blueprint" which a Labour Government would implement. Wider opportunities for Australia to develop an exercise technical and scientific skills. A national science foundation to expand, organise and coordinate scientific education and research.  Housing. A Homes Finance Commission to provide finance for home building and to guarantee loans from those willing to lend at low interest rates and on low deposits of no more than from five to ten per cent of the capital cost. To provide the States with loans at 3,5 per cent interest to reduce rentals and repayment on Housing Commissions homes. To hold an inquiry into Australia's housing needs, as sought by the states.  Health. A complete national health service, including dental, optical and deaf-aid treatment. A free public medical service, including specialist treatment, based on public hospitals. To abolish the @ charge for prescriptions and extend the free list of drugs. Repeal the requirement that patients must join a registered fund to obtain additional commonwealth benefits.  Social services. To raise child endowment by 6/ to 11/ a week for the first child, by 9/ to 19/ for the second child and by 12/ to 22/ for the third and subsequent children. To double the maternity allowance to £30 for the first child, rising to £35 for the fourth and subsequent children. An extra 10£ a week for married pensioners. To abolish the means test progressively. Increase the pensioner funeral allowance from £10 to £50.  Employment. Full employment, without qualifications. Labour will never permit a repetition of the waste and hardship of the past three years.  Repatriation. Review the Repatriation Act, recognise cancer a war-caused disease, and interpret the onus-of-proof clause to give ex-servicemen the benefit of the doubt.  Trade Practice. To legislate exploitation and wasteful restrictive trade practices by monopoly interests, with protection for small traders.  Trade. To book Australia's trade, establish an overseas shipping line, a Commonwealth export bank to provide export credit, and an overseas trade commission.  Other subjects. After speaking for more than half an hour, Mr, Callwell realised he could not complete the whole of his prepared speech within an hour. He then omitted large sections dealing with overseas investment, manufacturing industries, restrictive trade practices, industrial matters, northern development decentralisation and local government. He told the meeting that these matters would be dealt with in detail as the campaign progressed.  1,000 At Ballroom Hear Labour Election Policy.  MELBOURNE Wednesday. A crowd of more than 1000 in the Royale Ballroom heard the leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, deliver his policy speech tonight.  More than 30 Federal and State Labour members were on the platform with Mr Calwell, in addition to the 23 candidates for the Victorian Federal @ held by the Liberal or County Party. Mr Calwell was flanked by his deputy Leader, Mr E.G. Whitlam, and the Opposition Leader in the Senate, senator N.E. McKenna. The chairman was the president of the Victorian branch of the ALP, Mr R.W. Holt. The audience stood @ attention while the National Anthem and Advance Australia Fair were played. Mr Holt then called on the audience to observe a brief silence as a mark of respect for the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Daniel Mannix, who died this afternoon. Mr Calwell’s speech was frequently interrupted by applause, which on one occasion continued for about half a minute. After speaking for half an hour, Mr Calwell had @ only one-third of his prepared policy speech. However, he realised that he was behind schedule and @ large sections of the prepared text. This enabled him to get on to defence and foreign affairs before his commercial television time ended at 8.45, but he omitted the detailed references to the A.L.P. plans for the Army contained in his prepared speech, and also to taxation. Mr Calwell raced through the final paragraphs of his speech as the Federal secretary of the ALP, Mr C. Wyndham, stood in the front of the platform at 9 o’clock to signal that all television and radio broadcasts had ended. At no time did Mr Calwell appear disturbed by the fact that a live telecast was being made of his speech, but the @ of the @ @ @ obviously affected him.  ALP leader’s Melbourne speech. Calwell gives details on labour policy.  The Australian Labour Party welcomed the opportunity to place its policy before the people, the Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, said in his election policy speech last night.  Speaking in the Royale Ballroom, Melbourne, Mr Calwell said there was no pressing national need for the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, and treasurer, Mr H.E. Holt, to precipitate the election and throw the House of Representatives and the Senate out of electoral alignment. There could be no justification for the waste of £500,000 in having two elections where one alone next year would suffice.  Statement of Poll Issues.  Mr Calwell said: But now hat elections for the House of Representatives only are to be held, let me state the position of the Labour Party on the issues that will decide the result of the elections, in order that they may be clearly understood and appreciated. In other words, let me separate the Labour Party’s grain from the Liberal and Country parties chaff. We welcome the chance to do so. Even more, we can congratulate the Australian people on the chance which is theirs to destroy the Menzies Government. It is time for a change. It is more than time for a change: it is time to give  Australia a chance. Mr Calwell said Labour’s policy on defence was sound, realistic and inspired by the spirit of Australian nationalism. Consequently, it would appeal to all Australians who loved their country and wanted to see its security guaranteed. On the question of economic growth we most remember two things," Mr Calwell said. We are a young nation, not only in terms of our history but in terms of the age of our present population. Half of our present population is under the age of 30 and onethird of it is in the age group between five and 24. In this dramatic and significant trend in our population lies, at one and the same time, our greatest challenge and our greatest chance. If we meet the challenge now, we can make the youthfulness of our population our springboard to future greatness. If we neglect it will cause almost irremediable harm.  Growth of work force. Mr Calwell said Australia must plan for rapid growth to absorb a work force which was growing at the rate of 2 per cent every year. The numbers needing education would rise rapidly. And the glowing numbers in the marriageable age group means that more and more houses must be built to give a decent start to those seeking to marry and found families, he said. These are the basic facts of Australian life today, and in those facts lies the hard core of Labour’s economic policy, a policy which stands for spectacular economic growth, a revolution in education, and vigorous housing drive. These are the first things on which we set our sights. We are setting our sights on a great tomorrow. Labour stands firmly on its policy of full employment full employment without qualifications. That means that every Australian willing and able to work must have the opportunity to work. We will never permit a repetition of the waste and hardship of the past three years. Mr Calwell said that at the very moment unemployment had fallen below the intolerable figure of from 10.000 to 100000 the Government sought a renewal of its mandate. He went on: "Now, just as the economy emerges from the worst effects of the worst slump since the thirties, there is already speculation about the timing of the next credit squeeze if this government should remain in office. There is a simple reason for this: the credit squeeze is the one economic weapon this Government knows how to wield, and they have wielded it three times in a decade with disastrous results on each occasion. To secure the proper use of credit resources, the Labour Party would use existing banking powers to control hire purchase and to ensure that credit was available for all legitimate business purposes. We will plan Australia’s way out of the disastrous cycle of stop and go, he said. Labour in office will aim at a rate of national growth, that is, in the increase of all the goods and services produced, of at least 51 per cent annually. The governor of the Reserve Bank (Dr H. Coombs) pointed out this year that this rate can be achieved without placing undue strain on our resources, and without producing inflation. The rate of growth of 5,5 per cent annually could be achieved by a suitable working partnership between the Commonwealth and private enterprise, but the Commonwealth will have to play the leading part. Mr Calwell said a growth rate of 51 per cent was at east one third faster than the rate of growth achieved by the present Government. In the slump years @ by this government there was, in fact a fall of the rate of growth, he said. A labour Government would  - Institute a national planning scheme to co-ordinate private and public development to determine the amount of Commonwealth expenditure and required and, generally, to ensure the best of our resources.  - Establish a works planning council to plan public works in co-operation with the States over at least a five-year period.  - Establish regional development authorities to provide service and co-ordinate development within their own regions.  Plans For Economic Growth  Mr Calwell said that through sound planning, countries like France and Japan had achieved spectacular postwar growth. By setting targets, by ending the confusion caused by contradictory Government policies and by taking industry into our confidence and letting it know exactly what is expected of it, we will achieve similar results, he added.  Proposals on education.  On education. Mr Calwell said: we unhesitatingly accept the fact that the Commonwealth has a responsibility in regard to education. We will not, as the Menzies Government has done, seek to evade or avoid that responsibility. We propose. therefore, to establish a Commonwealth  Ministry for Education and Science to act as the instrument of our national policy. We make further propose to make an emergency grant of £10m to the State, to overcome the immediate crisis caused by teacher and accommodation shortages. We will enlarge the Commonwealth Scholarships Scheme so that students of ability are not debarred of their parents' financial position. The scheme will also be extended to encourage more students to take degrees at honours standards, and to encourage post-graduate studies by graduates. We will increase the number of Commonwealth scholarships from 5000 to 10000 at an estimated annual charge or rather invest of 5£m. we will however not be content to deal with education at the top of the pyramid alone, as the Menzies Government has done. We propose therefor to establish a system of scholarships on lines similar to the university scholarships for students at technical colleges, teachers, colleges and at secondary schools. When fully implemented the secondary schools scholarships system will be limited in number only by the ability of the pupils to meet the qualifying standards applicable in his or her state. The scholarships subject to a means test, will be tenable at the schools of the parents’ choice and will be open to students from government and nonGovernment schools.  Inquiry on education. Mr Calwell said a Labour government would set up an inquiry into all aspects of education in Australia and implement its findings. He said Labour equally determined that Australia should play its full part in the revolution in science, technology and automation. He said: our objective is clear: in human terms, we want wider opportunities for Australia to develop and exercise technical and scientific skills. On the economic side, we want to improve the efficiency of Australian industry. Mr Calwell said a Labour Government would:  - Establish a National Science Foundation to expand, organise and co-ordinate scientific education and research.  - Encourage, by concessions, Australian industry to undertake research.  - Arrange for and finance at least 1000 young men and women to go overseas each year for technical training.  - Encourage both by tax concession and subsidy, Australian industry to expand its training facilities for technicians and scientific workers.  Unless me take urgent steps now to place Australia in the forefront of the scientific revolution, we are doomed to be a nation of  Borrowers and imitators, living precariously on the fruits of foreign research, he said. This program, in its early stages, would cost at least £10m annually.  Housing scheme outlined.  Mr Calwell said one of the Government’s greatest failures was in housing. Labour would establish a homes finance commission to finance home construction, and guarantee loans at low interest rates, and on low deposits amounting to no more than 10 per cent of the capital cost.  - Provide loans to the States at @ per cent interest to enable them to reduce rentals and repayment on Housing Commission Homes.  - Increase grants to the states by £20m for public housing with emphasis on slum clearance and development projects.  - @ a steady and adequate flow of private finance for home building.  - Hold an inquiry into Australia’s housing needs as requested by the states ministers for housing.  Free Public medical Service  Mr Calwell said Labour would accept the responsibility of providing a free public medical service based on public hospitals. He said: we will establish a complete national health service to provide general practitioner, specialist, pharmaceutical, hospital, mental health, dental and optical and hearing appliance services, as was originally intended by the Chifley Government. We will repeal the requirement that patients must join a registered society to obtain additional Commonwealth benefits, but voluntary insurance will be encouraged. A Labour Government has no intention of hindering private medical practice, or of limiting freedom of choice of the patient in seeking medical attention. Suggestions that we seek to socialise medicine are so much propaganda. We have no such plans and, in any case. the Constitution would not allow it.  Commonwealth Health Scheme.  Increased health benefits would also include a salaried specialist service at pub hospitals, abolition of the 5/prescription fee and restoration of lifesaving drugs recently removed from the free list. A Labour Government would hold an inquiry in the costs of drugs a its effect on the level of pharmaceutical benefits with a view to ending waste, inefficiency and exploitation.  Social Service Objective. Mr Calwell said Labour’s objective was to restore all social services, without exception at least to the purchasing power they possessed the Chifley Government. He said: We intend to make child endowment of real value to the mothers of Australia. There has been no change in the level of child endowment since 1950, 13 years ago, although the basic wage was then £6/18, compared with £14/8/ now. We propose to increase child endowment by paying the following new rates;  - For first child, 11 a week (6/ rise).  - For the second child, 19/ (9/ rise).  - For the third and subsequent children, 22/ (12/rise).  We propose also to extend the endowment to children up to the age of 18 pursuing fulltime studies at universities. For the same purpose, that of helping the parents of Australia, Labour will double the maternity allowance to £30 for the first child, rising to £35 for the fourth and subsequent children. We will provide a n additional 10/ a week for married pensioners, ending the extraordinary discrimination against marriage established by the Government in its last Budget. We propose to increase the funeral payment made to the person who has paid or is liable to pay the cost of a funeral of an age or invalid pensioner from £10 to £50. We will abolish the means test progressively, and as opportunity offers. Labour would provide these services to enable Australia to trade anywhere in the world:  - An Australian shipping commission to operate overseas and coastal ships to the greatest extent possible.  - A Commonwealth export bank to provide credit facilities for exporters of both primary and secondary goods.  - An overseas trade commission whose functions would include investigation of franchise or licensing agreements which prevented or restricted the export of any commodity and to promote Australian trade generally.  Increase in forces.  Dealing with defence, Mr Calwell said Labour would lift the fighting strength of all three Armed Services. Referring to the Government's decision to buy American TFX bombers, Mr Calwell said: the deal was made, the decision was taken, in less time than the averages family needs decide on the purchase of a new car. So great was the haste, the Prime Minister could not acquaint himself with the full facts in time for the Parliamentary debate on the issue. On this question the Prime Minister did not bother himself or his hearers with the niceties of exact fact.  Bomber Deal Questioned. The decision to purchase a bomber which will not be available until the end of this decade is presumable based on an Assessment of the international situation that no emergency requiring a bomber is likely before that time. And yet we have not been told, has not this election been justified, officially, on the grounds that the emergency is upon us, here and now? To put it in blunt vernacular, either the emergency the Government talks about is phony or the decision to buy a bomber not yet off the drawing board is dangerous and unsound. Mr Calwell said Labour was confident it could renegotiate the treaty with the U.S. to provide for joint control on a government level of the US naval communications station at North-West Cape. He said: our foreign policy will be based firmly on four pillars; membership of the Commonwealth of nations; firm adherence to the AustralianAmerican alliance established by the Curtin Labour Government unswerving loyalty to the United Nations; and insistence that the voice of Australia shall be fully heard in the councils of our allies, and that our national rights and sovereignty will always be maintained. Labour believed that Australia should follow Britain’s lead of recognising Red China. Because of the new situation brought about by the emergence Of Malaysia, the labour Government would seek in negotiate a clear, and public treaty to cover the continued presence of Australian troops there, setting out the rights and obligations of both parties. Mr Calwell said: pending the conclusion of such a treaty, any act of aggression against Malaysia will be treated as a bleach of the Nations Charter, and will be resisted accordingly. We will help to defend Malaysia, but we are not without hope that the present strained relations between Malaysia and certain of her neighbours will soon disappear. The Prime Minister has stated that he wants the election to be fought of the question of Malaysia. In other words, he wants to force the nation to divide on a question on which it is fundamentally divided. He wants to have bandied around the @, in the hot and heady atmosphere of an election campaign, delicate questions affecting the security of nations. This indeed is irresponsibility of an Olympian order.