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Facts and Figures 1939

The West Australian Newspaper ran an article providing a retrospective look at 1939 in review - Headlines 'Year of Strife' - '1939 Retrospective' - 'Mars Takes control'

The year 1939 will go down in history as the year in which Hitler plunged the world into war, the Spanish war ended with Franco's forces being victorious and President Roosevelt addressed the American Congress with a warning of "the unbridled policies of dictatorial and aggressive nations".

Besides the impending World War II, at home other events impacted on Western Australians, including a cyclone in Port Hedland that caused considerable damage, and floods in Kalgoorlie with a damaged bill estimated to be £50,000. The most disastrous bushfires ever known in Australia caused widespread damage and great loss of life in Victoria and New South Wales.

Population

The population of Australia was expected to reach 7,000,000 early in 1940, according to an official estimate made by the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics.
Total population was 6,907,078, on 30 September 1938.

StateMaleFemaleTotal
New South Wales 1,374,095 1,350,562 2,724,657
Victoria 924,387 946,274 1,870,661
Queensland, 525,950 479,090 1,005,040
South Australia 296,621 296,638 593,259
Western Australia 243,194 218,311 461,505
Tasmania 119,040 115,261 234,307
Northern Territory 4,063 1,949 5,985
Capital Territory 6,352 5,312 11,664

Average Weekly Wage as at 31 December 1938

StateMalesFemales
Western Australia 96s. 10d 55s. 4d.
Queensland 95s.10d. 53s. 6d.
New South Wales 95s. 1d. 51s.10d.
Victoria 91s. 2d. 50s. 7d.
Tasmania 88s. 5d. 49s. 8d.
South Australia 87s. 1d. 47s. 9d.
Average Australian 93s. 3d. 51s. 4d.

At the end of 1938, both males and females wages in Australia were highest in Western Australia followed by Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

The highest paying work for males was recorded as Books, Printing, 112s. per week, followed by Mining, 106s. 6d. Building, 104s. 6d. Wood, Furniture, 98s. 2d., Engineering, 97. 8d., Shipping 97s. 6d., Railways, 95s 5d., Food, Drink etc, 82s. 5. with the lowest paid work Agriculture at 82s 3d.

For females the highest paid category was Miscellaneous, paying 54s. 6d, followed by Domestics, 53s. 1d., Manufacturing, 50s. 6d., Clothing and Boots, 49s. 9d., and Food, Drink, 47s 1d.

Source - Official Yearbook Commonwealth of Australia 1939

Trade

Balance of Trade 1939 / Canberra Times Sunday 25th February 1939

Although export incomes in Australia had suffered during the previous 12 months because of the lower prices ruling for the most important of the commodities derived from the primary and extractive industries, particularly wheat, meat, metals and wool, the general position had not deteriorated to the same extent. The dairying and sugar industries improved their position, and secondary production was not only well maintained, but appeared certain to extend progress in the next few years.

The belief that Australian prosperity still depended upon wool and wheat dies hard, but it is steadily being modified by the realisation, firstly, that other primary industries such as dairying have not only improved their position during the last 12 months, but have made a greater contribution to stability and progress than is generally realised; and, secondly, that the manufacturing industries are becoming more and more important both in adding to the sum of national wealth and in helping to bring about conditions of economic balance.

Trading Countries

  • Over 54% of Australian exports were to the United Kingdom for 1938-39 with a total of 69.46% being exported to British Possessions including Canada, Ceylon, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Malaya (British), Mauritius, New Zealand, Papua, Union of South Africa.
  • Trade to Foreign Countries included France, 7.65%, Belgium, 4.53%, United States of America, 2.95%, China, 2.38%, Germany, 2.17%, down to 0.23% to the Soviet Union (Russia).

Exports

  • Total Exports to the United Kingdom were £86,369,800 which represented Australian Produce, including wool, £20,247,877, wheat, £13,600,504, butter, £9,970,954, gold, £7,700,189, mutton and lamb, (frozen), £5,225,633, lead, pig £4,678,597, beef - frozen and chilled, £4,027,715, sugar, £3,325,643 etc.

Imports

  • Major imports of the United Kingdom, £46,228,674, were machines, machinery and manufacturers of metal (£21,174,615), apparel, textiles and yarns (£12,288,251).

Defence

Preparing the Country for war

Since 1936, the Government had commenced raising the training strength of the militia to 35,000. The divisional organisation was retained. Certain Light Horse regiments and infantry battalions that ceased to be maintained during the suspension of compulsory obligations were resurrected. In addition, certain new units were organised as a first step towards the modernisation of the field army and coastal defences.
In November 1938, the Government proposed to raise the training strength of the militia to 70,000; this was achieved by March 1939.

Military population (1933 Census)

PopulationNumber
Cadet aged 12 - 18 years 371,000
Citizen Soldiers 18 - 26 years 482,000
Citizen Soldiers 16 - 35 472,000
Total 620,000

Western Australian training strength of Military Forces at 31 December 1938 was 3,271.

1939 The Commencement of the War Years

  • Prime Minister declares war on Germany on the same date as Germany invades Poland.
  • Australian special voluntary force of 20,000 men enlisted and trained for service overseas.
  • Royal Australian Navy placed at the disposal of Great Britain, 2nd September 1939.
  • No. 10 Sunderland Flying Boat Squadron, RAAF, both personnel and aircraft, accepted by British Government for service with Coastal Command.
  • Middle East Campaign - advance party of Australians embark for Middle East on 15 December 1939.

A comprehensive chronological list of events 1939 - 1945.

Source: Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia 1932 - 39; 1944 - 1945