ARMY ESTIMATES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1932, Page 5

ARMY ESTIMATES

DRASTIC ECONOMY MR AMERY URGES CAUTION. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 8. The Army Estimates, which wore presented in the House of Commons, to-day by the Financial Secretary lor tho War Office (Mr A. Duff-Cooper), showed that the amount asked for represented a saving of £3,442,000 on the sum voted last year. This reduction iva-.s achieved by drastic economy and the suspension, of many essential army services. One economy of £l,000,000 w.orf obtained by cancelling the Territorial Army annual camp training, a saving that cannot be repeated iiext year.

Mr Duff-Cooper recalled that bis Labour predecessor at the War Office, hi presenting the Estimates last year stated that economies had been carried to tho utmost practical limit. Nevertheless, the Army Council had been requested to meet the special call for economy, by saving £3,500,000. This year’s estimates must, therefore, not be taken as the standard 'to wmen future estimates could be expected to conform.

He paid a special tribute to tho small British force now bearing grave responsibility in Shanghai, Tho mem* bors of the force were performing their difficult duties in a spirit worthy of the Army’s best tradition. The British, soldier in Shanghai, as in other places in the past, had shown himself to be one of the best ambassadors for peace.

Major Attlee, following Mr DuffCcoper said that despite all the reductions, the nations were still spending hundreds of millions yearly on fighting services, which wgs an indication of the general insanity with which 'the world’s affairs were being conducted, seeing that all nations had renounced war.

Mr Leopold Amerv said that the statements of the Admiralty War Office showed that our defence equipment was entirely inadequate. We must face facts. Years of delusion had nearly ended in disaster. As for the situation in the Far East, it was more eloquent than evasive formulas and fictions. Our power to contribute to the world’s peace was going to depend in future, as in the past upon our armed strength. Any uncine weakness on our part would bring v.ar nearer. BALANCED BUDGET EXPECTED. RETURNS QUITE SATISFACTORY. RUGBY, March 8. The- revenue returns for the week .ended March 5. indicate that the revenue continues to Coins in satisfactorily and that the economics forecasted in the revised Budget last September, will be realised. The total revenue received during the week amounted to £226,000,000, and the expenditure to £12,000,000, leaving a surplus for the week of 9.4 millions, and reducing the deficit from 46.4 millions to £37,000,000. This is £21,000,000 less than the deficit at the same day last year. There now remains three and a-halt weeks in which to secure the balanced Budget, which the late Chancellor of the Exchequer planned, and 'there seems every reason to expect that this will he accomplished. difficulties surmounted. LONDON, March 9. Air R.unciman, addressing the letail distributors, said Britain had smmounted great financial and commercial difficulties. Those countries which succeeded in getting immense stores of gold were now paying the penalty. We have been able to show them that we can carry on without a gold basis. We put sterling on such a sound basis that it has become the envy of the world. We are gradually getting our trade balance on a-sound footing, j leading the world in currency and I sanity, and abandoning the idea of the monopoly of gold, which means monopoly of the world prosperity.