BRITISH ESTIMATES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2001, 7 March 1914, Page 5

BRITISH ESTIMATES.

INSURANCE ACT ATTACKED. INSOLVENCY ALLEGED- . $7 Telegraph—Proas Assooiatiop—OopyrijfM (Roo. March 6, 9.35 p.m.) London, March 6. The Estimates provide £13,141,000 for old ago pensions, and almost £9,000,000 for national insurance.

Opposition members heckled Mr. Lloyd Georgo, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, over tho figures, alleging that the insurance scheme was insolvent, and that tho minimum benefits would have ,to bo reduced. They declared that the Chancellor's refusal to give information with regard to State insurance finance was duo to the Government's unpreparedness to nioet the popular indignation.

Mr. Lloyd George, in. reply, denied that tho scheme of insuranco was unfinancial, though doubtless somo of tho approved societies ■ wero badly managed, and he hoped that whatever Government was in power would make them' bear tho consequences of their maladministration.

Mi-. Bonar Law, Leaden of tho Opposition, challenged tho Chancellor to direct tho Chief Actuary to make a valuation. Otherwise' the country would draw the conclusion that the Act was insolvent. Tho Government, he declared, wished to conceal that insolvency - until after the election.

A motion to reduce the vote was negatived. •

A MILLION FOR AVIAtION. '.. WAR OFFICE ESTIMATES. (Rcc. March 6, 10.65 p.m.)-., London, March 6. This year's Army Estimates total £28,845,000, including a million for aviation. The official m el »< )riin d u - m -' by'' Colonel Soely, Secretary of State for War, on tho Estimates, admits that thero is a deficiency of eight thousand men in tho infantry, though' tho total establishment shows an increase of eight hundred.- This is accounted for by the growth'of the aerial wing and increases in garrison artillery. Colonel Seely states that the position pf tho Territorials is improving,,

...-. CIVIL SERVICE TOTAL. -■;, ■ London, March 6. Tho Civil - Service Estimates total £21,036,650.