LEASE-LEND AID

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23965, 4 June 1943, Page 4

LEASE-LEND AID

N.Z. TO CONTRIBUTE £20,000,000 FOODSTUFFS FOR U.S. FORCES From Our Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, June 3. Reciprocal aid to the United States is estimated this year at a total of £20,000,000. Last year reverse leaselend supplied to the United States forces amounted to £7,000,000. This announcement was made this evening by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) presenting the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives. The largest item will be foodstuffs, estimated at £9,000,000. In addition, building projects are estimated as follows;—buildings (mainly hospitals), £2,000,000; camps, £2,000,000: warehouses, £1,500,000; and miscellaneous, £1,000,000; together with a shipbuilding programme estimated at £2,000.000 for the south Pacific and south-west Pacific areas. Of the foodstuffs to be provided by New Zealand the largest items in pound weight are meat and'vegetabje ration 4,200,000, potatoes 48,300,000, apples 21,800,000, service biscuits 3.200.000, buttter 14,200,000, pork 15.400.000, mutton ' 14,000,000, ham 7.800.000, beef 46,800,000, bacon 15.400.000, beef (corned) 8,100,000. The value of these items in New Zealand currency is £6,500,000. The additional £2,500,000 comprises such items as cereals, vegetables (fresh and canned), fresh fruit, cheese, jams, sauces, and pickles, and in particular eggs and honey. An amount of £2,500,000 is estimated to be required to meet payment, of rentals, provision of services (including wharf labour), and purchase of miscellaneous goods to meet United States Forces’ requirements, "Goods, Not Money” “Although values are quoted in the accounts, I would like to emphasise that lease-lend. is granted not in terms of money, but in terms of the quantity of particular kinds of goods required for the war effort," Mr Nash said. “The goods and services provided under reciprocal aid to the United States forces are paid for by us and are consequently brought into our accounts at the actual cost. Lease-lend, on the other hand, is included in the accounts to complete the picture of our resources for war.” Supplies and services provided for the United States forces included capital works such as temporary camps, hospitals, and ships to the value of £3,250,000, food valued at £2,000.000, and transportation, repairs, rentals, and other services to the extent of £1,750.000. These supplies and services for last year are shown in the War Expenses Account at £7,000,000, as against corresponding assistance received by New Zealand amounting to £26.800.000, comprising motor vehicles, ammunition, aeroplanes, ordnance stores, oil and petrol, and supplies for other essential purposes. "Account must be taken that reverse lend-lease was in operation for only part of the financial year, whereas end-lease, while appearing for the first time in .the year’s accounts, covered a period of more than a year. Activities under reverse lend-lease are increasing rapidly, and the cost for this year will show a substantial increase,” Mr Nash said. “Although there is provision for unused equipment to be returned, there is no provision in the act for payment to be made for the goods.” he added.