MONEY SPENT ON THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 266, 6 August 1919, Page 6

MONEY SPENT ON THE WAR

WILL NEW ZEALAND BE RECOUPED? I!y TeleeraDh—Press Asioclatlfln. , ■ Auckland, August 5. Asked whether he expected New Zealand, under tho indemnity and reparation proposals in the Peace Theaty, would receive any-repayment for expenditure incurred in connection with tho part she took in the war. Sir Joseph Ward said it was exceedingly difficult to forecast the outcome in this respect. He wns quito firm in his view that the enemy should pay the whole cost of the war, and also bear the burden of restoration of the ruined cities, towns, and'villages in Belgium and Prance,. where much of the. destruction had been wilfully carried out by enemy forces; but no definite estimate nf the result of tho financial proposals of tho Treaty could, in his opinion, lie made at present. It was necessary to wait and see. In the meantime the only, safe course for New Zealand to pursue from a financial standpoint was not to count upon anythinq coming to her, at all events at nresent. Tinder this hemline, indped, be thoncflit that all other parts of the British Empire, as well as our Allies, except in tho piw of restoration work in Prance and Belgium, were in 'a, similar position.