BRITAIN’S WAR BILL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1671, 6 February 1917, Page 4

BRITAIN’S WAR BILL.

“COLOSSAL—NOT APPALLING.”

TOTAL NOW £5,710,000 A DAY,

DOMINIONS SELF-FINANCING.

The fourteenth vote of credit of the war was moved in the House of Commons on December 14th, by the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Bonar Law. It was for £400,000,000, bringing the amount voted for the financial year to £1,750,000,000, and for the whole war, £3,532,000,000. The Chancellor, said that, assuming the rate of expenditure continued the same as during the 03 days covered by the vote of £300,000,000 on October 11th, the sum proposed would suffice tor 70 days, that was, until February 24. On the same assumption, a further vote of £200,000,000 would be required for the remaining 30 days of the financial year. The estimate of the total expenditure for the year, £1,950,000,000, was greater than anticipated by Mr McKenna by £350,000,000. the increase being due to the cost of munitions and additional loans to our allies and Dominions. During the 03 days covered by the last vote of credit, the expenditure per day had been £5,710,000.

LOANS TO THE ALLIES,

Referring to loans to allies and Dominions, Mr Bonar Law said: — “The increase daring the last 63 days on that head amounts to the enormous sum of £400,000 per day. It will he a gratification to the House to know that during the period of 63 days with which I am now dealing, as well as during the period of 77 days which preceded it, that increase was entirely to our allies. The amount given to the Dominions was almost nothing, for they had been able, by one method or another, to nuance practically their own expenditure. (Cheers.) These advances are just as much pari of our own expenditure, arc just as much necessary for the object which we as a nation desire, as if (he money were spent in equipping our own troops who are fighting our battles in France to-day. (Hear, hear.) Two great advantages were possessed by our enemies; one was that they were prepared for war and we were not, but they had another advantage. They have to-day another advantage which is almost as great, and that is that circumstances have so far fallen that the control of all the resources of our enemy is practically in one hand. One of the drawbacks of our alliance, as of every alliance of free countries, must be that it is very difficult to get this central control. To secure it in the past has been the object of not only this Government, but of the other Governments which are our allies. During the last year — during the last six or nine months especially—a great deal Ims been done in that direction, and in my belief the success of (his war, the rapidity with which we can bring it to a victorious close, must depend on the extent in which all the resources of our allies —men, munitions, money —can be pooled and thrown into the common cause, with the idea that we are lighting one light which is the same to all those engaged in it. (Hear, hear). NO LOSS ()N THK RAILWAYS.

“Looking at the figures which have been presented to me, I find there has been considerable saving in some miscellaneous expenses, especially on food, and also in regard to railways. With regard to railways I have always noted that the House is anxious to know what has been the effect of the bargain made at the outbreak of war. In regard to that I can only say there is a complete justification for what has been said on previous occasions, that it was a very good bargain for the State. It was good not merely from the point of view of the convenience—the immense convenience —which central control gave, but it has been good also financially. Though the position is (-hanged by the grant of a war bonus to (he railway employees, 1 have every reason to believe, in spite of that, there will be no financial loss, but probably some financial gain, in consequence of the arrangement which has been made in regard to the railways.” Mr Bonar Law continued: —“The total ..mount of the votes of credit since the outbreak of war are: For the financial year 1914-15, £302,000,000; for 1915-10, £1,420,000,-

THERE IS ONLY ONE SANDER EXTRACT, and that is why the people insist on getting it, and why they reject the many inferior substitutes and the cheap and frequently harmful “just as goods.” The GENUINE SANDER EXTRACT is free from the objectionable qualities of the common eucalyptus oils and the socalled “extracts.” SANDER’S EXTRACT is the most powerful antiseptic and healing remedy that can be used with safety; it prevents and cures all infectious diesase —influenza, colds, fevers, smallpox, diphtheria, flatulence, dyspepsia, diarrhoea, dysentery and kidney troubles. SANDER’S EXTRACT, applied to ulcers, burns, sprains, cuts, inflamed and itching skin, gives instant relief and cures permanently. Three drops in a teaspoonful of cod liver oil is a specific in all chronic lung affections. Rheumatism,, neuralgia and toothache are quickly dispelled by it. Reliability, effectiveness and purity are the great attributes of SANDER’S EXTRACT.

000; for the present financial year, including the vote of credit now asked for, but not making allowance for the period that will elapse after this money has been spent, £1,750,000,000. That brings the total amounts of the vote of credit since the outbreak of war to £3,532,000,000. But that does not quite represent the whole. The House knows votes of credit do not represent the whole of the expenditure of the Government. I have asked this morning for an estimate and have got it. As to the additional expenditure in governing the country, taking everything into account over and above the votes of credit, the figure given to me is £330,000,000, since the beginning of the war, in addition to the votes of credit. That brings the total expenditure of this country since the outbreak of war to the stupendous figure of £3,532,000,000. But that does not quiet, it taxes the imagination of any man to realise. I do not be kept at the present figure inwhat it means. It. is a colossal figure, but I do not think that it is an appalling figure. (Cheers).

FI NAN Cl A L ENDUE A NCE. “From the point of view of carrying on the war, which is the only point of view in the minds of this House and this country, everything of this kind is relevant. I should like to repeat now the view which I have held from the beginning of the war, and which is this. This is not a war in which, in my belief, it would ever have been possible to make arrangements that would have enabled us to go on indefinitely as we did during the Napoleonic wars. In my belief that was impossible. Everything had to be thrown in, and just as if is obvious to every member of the House that the armies which are now embodied by ourselves and by our allies caniot be kept at the present, figure indefinitely, that all that can be hoped for is that they will be kept at the strong figure Jong enough to beat our enemies. (Cheers.) So in the same way, as regards finance, we cannot hope to go on on this scale indefinitely, but I at least believe I hat we can go on long enough to make sure that It is not from financial causes that we have failed to secure the victory.” (Cheers).