Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1947 THE COST OF VICTORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 100, 28 February 1947, Page 4

Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1947 THE COST OF VICTORY

EIGHTEEN months away from the Armistice which concluded the War with Nazi Germany provides plenty of food for ruminative thought as to the future. The cost of victory must be considered not alongside the probable cost of defeat but against the sum that the victor nation can afford to pay for the doubtful pleasure of keeping down the defeated nation. The net estimated cost to the British taxpayer of the Control Office in Germany during .the current year is no less a sum than £80,554,310. In a report made by the Select Committee on Estimates it is stated that no alleviation of the burden on the British taxpayer can be made without a satisfactory solution of three problems : (a) The economic reintegration of the zones of occupation, (b) The formulation of a long-term policy for the whole of Germany or, in default of such reintegration of zones, the formation of such a policy for the British zone and such other zones as may be brought within the framework of a single economy. (c) The breaking of the present vicious circle; shortage of food, shortage of coal, shortage of consumer goods. The Committee added the following recomendations, the adoption of which would in its opinion “bring about a certain alleviation to the British taxpayer : “The process of ‘screening’ Germany, both in internment camps and at large, should be completed as rapidly as possible. “The devolution under proper British control and supervision, of executive responsibility to German authorities should be pushed on with the utmost speed. “The general policy of the Control Commission should be to reduce the number of their staff, while taking every possible step to increase their quality. To improve the quality of the staff, there should be more careful selection, and the creation of the new branch of the public service integrated, so far as it is practicable, with the Civil Service, to offer, better security of tenure. “A survey of the Control Commission should be made by the Treasury through its organisation and methods division. “As the charge to the British taxpayer is directly affected by the burden on the German economy caused by British occupation, a half-yearly statement should be presented to Parliament, clearly setting out the details of the cost of occupation and administration of the British zone which is falling on German resources as well as those borne directly by the British taxpayer. “It is probably without parallel in history,” comments the report, “that eighteen months after the end of a war Britain should be paying £80,000,000 a year towards the upkeep of her principal adversary.” It is also emphasised that “in the absence of remedial measures things will get worse and not better.” American willingness to cooperate with others to bring about a devolution of authority to the Germans and thereby reap the fruits of economic coordination is, therefore, particularly helpful to the British taxpayer whose current burden is £2 a head of population including every man, woman and child in the United Kingdom. While willingness to co-operate with each other has marked American and British conduct and policy it is to be regretted that the Russians have not up to now found it possible to co-operate with their Allies. In the circumstances, Russia cannot now complain that the American and British are aligning themselves against the Soviet Union, but the absence of justification for complaint does not seem to worry the Russian mind and charges are at once released that Anglo-American activities are being directed to the manufacture of munitions in their respective zones. Unless Russia comes in the situation will not be as satisfactory as it would be were they to co-operate. But if that proves to be unattainable then American and British administrations must bend to the task of doing the best possible under the circumstances as they exist today. Were it possible for the French to throw in their weight with America and Britain more progress would be made. Unfortunately, again there seems to be no desire here to co-operate. The French zone is small and has no common frontier with that of the Russian, but the French seem to be as yet willing to recede from their thesis that the French frontier should be advanced to the Left bank of the Rhine. France desires to align herself with Britain and there is every reason for the two nations liquidating their present differences. France, however, cannot expect to gain the wholehearted support of the people of the United Kingdom unless she is willing to walk the same path as America and Britain toward the goal of European re-establishment. A French policy which results in the continuance of a high tax burden on the British people cannot be expected to be received with acclaim.

Edgecumbe Saleyards The Health Inspector (Mr A. Knights) has reported to the Medical Officer for Health, the unsatisfactory nature of the Edgecumbe cattle yards, which used only for pigs, were described as being in a very unclean condition. The yards are licensed to the Farmers’ Auctioneering Company, Hamilton. The County Council has supported the Inspector in his action.

County Dog Registration The registration for dogs in the county for the current year will be 1/- for dogs kept solely for the purpose of destroying rabbits; 2/6 for dogs (with no maximum number) kept solely for the purpose of herding sheep or cattle; and 5/- for any other dog—in every instance cost of are coline hydrobromide to be 1/additional. Mr A. Carling has been appointed dog tax collector.