THE OUTCRY AGAINST WASTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 12, 5 September 1919, Page 7

THE OUTCRY AGAINST WASTE

MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT DEFENDED

A VIGOROUS SPEECH

By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. September 4, 11.00 p.m.) London, September 3. Mr. F. G. Kellaway '(Under-Secretory for the Munitions Department) was tho guest of honour at a luncheon at the Savoy. In a speech he vigorously defended, the Ministry of Munitions, and said that it was not Ludendorlf's view that our provision for supplying high explosives was excessive. The national factories which were now described as wasteful, white elephants had crushed the life out of the Germany Army. The Ministry's headquarters staff was 25,141 at the time of the Armistice, 13,84-1 by tho .-end of July, and it would bo 9SOU by tho middle of October. The terms had now been fixed for settling thirty thousand outstanding contracts with a State liability of .£347,000,000, under which tho liability would be reduced to .£100,000,000. The Disposal Board had sold ,£80,000,000 worth of property, and had also realised .£105,000,000. The' Trading Account Board was realising at tho rate of a week. They had recently arrived at an agreement whereby France would receive surplus stores on the Continent at our valuation.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablb A6sn. STRONG INDItTaiiToF GOVERNMENT POLICY LETTER BY LORD ISLINGTON. (Rec. September 5, 1.30 a.m..) London, September 4. Lord Islington, in a letter to the newspapers, points out that none of the legislation of the past session aimed at economy. "On tho contrary," he says, "it involves gigantic expenditure. The Government also proposes to 6pend millions on reconstruction schemes when the country is going towards bankruptcy. Wo must revise and modify our national and Imperial policy. Victory has lifted us into an embarrasingly prominent position, but wo cannot afford to maintain this world-wide position of being dictators and purveyors, of civilisation in Europe, Asia, and Africa. We must, decide not what we must do, but what ,we cannot and should, not do. The taxpayer should immediately .be relieved of some of those outside burdens, especially in connection with' countries requiring administration and garrisoning which are incapable now or in the immediate future of paying their way. Such a policy would entail a sharp modification of the policy hitherto adopted, and in some cases would involvo a violent reversal of that policy; but wo must redeem our crushing debt and place-the country in. the path of a prosperous peace."—Aus.N.Z, Cable Assn. BRITISH NAVY ESTIMATES REVISED

DRASTIC REDUCTION London, September 2. It is reported that Mr. Walter Long will shortly submit to the Cabinet revised Navy estimates, to reduce the present expenditure of 110 millions to 70, equivalent to 31 millions before the war. '.There will bo fewer ships than before the war, but all tho fighting ships will be of tho. latest class. Tnirty-six vessels now building ■ will be completed. Tho construction of forty-two has 'been stopped or cancelled—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.