DOMINION WAR COSTS

Evening Star, Issue 23697, 3 October 1940, Page 6

DOMINION WAR COSTS

£14,000,030 TO AUGUST |T'i:ou Uuu I’ai.’i.ia.mkni'Aky Uri'OKTiu;.] WELLINGTON, October 2. New Zealand's war expenses within the Dominion till August DO were detailed by the Minister of Finance in the House. 'l'hey total £12,241,001), but in addition, he "said, there were outstanding imprests of £2,093,000. What the money had been spent on was Pay and allowances, £3,782,000; stores, £1,617,000; land and buildings, £3,821,000; accommodation, victualling, and clothing, £1,928,000; transport, £366,000; miscellaneous, £671,000; Civil expenditure chargeable to war expenses, £56,000. Some of the detailed items were of tremendous importance, said the Minister. Boots atone accounted for £254,000. clothing for £1,348,000, crockery for £46,000. The Defence officers, in association with the Treasury officers, had purchased goods of a value of £2,128,000. and the estimate for food alone was £512,000 to August 31. He would like to emphasise that these items for food, clothing, boots, etc., had to be obtained out of the normal quantity available to civilians; therefore, there must be less for civilians’ use. This must be realised. Mr Wilkinson; You mean the Government has not realised it. Mr Nash: Members on the other side support the agitation to bring more goods in. I can bring evidence to prove that our factories have produced £3s million more of goods. Mr Poison: And you are creating £l2 million more credits. Mr Nash: I can find no evidence of inflation, (Opposition laughter.) Mr Nash : Every penny expended on the war effort lias come from taxation or loan.

Mr Bodkin; What about the other Government policy? Mr Nash: Wo are talking of war expenditure.