BRITAIN'S PART.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 7

BRITAIN'S PART.

WASTE OF MONEY. MINISTRY OF MXTNITIONS INDICTED. (By Cable. —Press Association.—oopyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, March 12. A severe indictment of the Ministry of Munitions is a feature of the report of the committee on National Expenditure. The Ministry has erected national factories valued at £66,000,000, and granted private firms £16,C00,000 to meet capital expenditure, while the Ministry's officers are the only security the taxpayer has that these enormous sums are not wildly spent. . A savins of £3,000,000 was made on cordite alone by a reduction in the pricss after the accountants had investigated the cost. Similar investigations resulted in the saving of £35,000,000 in the C9st of gun ammunition durincr the two years ending September, 1917, compared with the first year of the war. In another case a contract for gun equipments was £7,750,000, which was reduced by £2,000.000. after the Government accountants had investigated the contract. Another company had an engineering contract for £4,000,000, and made a pr«fir of £1,300,000. It then ordered a considerable rebate for a further order, and made a second profit of half a million. The firm refused any arrangement

| depending on an investigation of its | books. i -i • I The Committee proposes to check this , profligacy by elective control, fixing the rates of profit and strengthening the authority of the Finance Department. AMALGAMATION OF BANKS. ("Tho Time#.") LONDON, March 12. Tho chairmen' at several bank meetings stated that tlu- arrangements which had been completed for amalgamation wore necessary on national grounds, with a view to international post-war competition. Public suspicion wo< not justified on the subjcct. Til.- chaii man of the London County anil Westminster Bank declares that- the Germans are forming a gigantic money trust, hoping to obtain supremacy of the world's finance. They intend to wage the fiercest competition -with the British banks. NAVAL PROMOTIONS. LONDON. March 12. In pursuance of its new policy, the Admiralty has selected 50 warrant officers for promotion to lieutenants. Further promotions are intended. OFFICERS' EMPLOYMENT BUREAI\ (Australian and Js.Z. Cable Association.* (Received March 13th, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON. March 12. A Discharged Officers' Employment Bureau has been formed, under a committee, including Lord St. David's, General Smith Dorricn, Admiral Fawkes, and employers in British colonies. WOMEN AND THE WAR. (Received March 13th, 8.20 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, March 12. Replying to an official enquiry as to whether the services of women for the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps will bo acceptable tho Secretary of State has cabled that there is an adequate supply of women's labour in England, and it is not proposed to invite women front the Dominions.