WAR ACCOUNTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 225, 11 June 1918, Page 5

WAR ACCOUNTS

EXTRAORDINARY REVELATIONS

MILLIONS FOR WHICH THERE

ARE NO INVOICES

London, Juno 8. An extraordinary revelation is made in the Auditor-General's Teport on the National Munition Factories. There was a oomplete breakdown, in Hie headquarters record of materials dispatched to and from the factories. ' The factories also failed' to- keep adequate records. Stocktaking revealed great shortages which wero written oft' to production. Tho accounts show that 144 national factories produced worth of wan material. The Ministry frequently sent no invoices. In one case, out of iESS/00.000 for materials supplied .£15,855,00fl represents materials for which no kvoice* wero received. Another case shows that after a firm of chartered accountants had certified- to the accounts the factory accountant discovered an error amounting to .£3,000,000 in respect of the value of materials supplied, by the Ministry of Munitions. In tho majority of cases the reconciliation of tho cost "accounts with the■ finainhl books was impossible. A' Government rolling mill'was estimated to cost .£030,000, but ,£1,200,000 was spent, through a numbei of important items being omitted- from the original estimate, and the actual output had fallen far short of the estimated capacity of the facbry.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.