THE WAR LOAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1810, 6 April 1918, Page 3

THE WAR LOAN.

“A MATTER OF URGENCY.” Dunedin, Thursday. In an interview regarding the War Loan, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of finance) emphasised the imperative needs for war purposes of the whole of the money that the public are being asked to provide. The Minister added : “One feature about the war expem diture, unlike the ordinary expendi-| lure of the country, is that so long, as the war goes on we cannot wait.: War expenditure is quickly incurred, and so long.as the war goes on, with whatever speed it may be, it is necessary to provide means, and there, must he no delay of any kind. For instance there is no such thing possible under war expenditure as making provision for it out of unauthorised expenditure. One recognises that to many people public finance is such a hard matter of fact subject that they may give it only passing attention. That occurs no doubt in the case of people who have some means, and who may not be impressed with the vital importance for carrying on of the war of full financial requirements being available so that the country may meet, daily and weekly, war conditions. For that reason one finds it necessary from time to time to call special attention to the matter. Naturally, one does not want to bother people who are engaged in their normal occupations, but the providing of money is just as important, and in some respects more ■important, than the providing of men; though the sacrifice made by the men is incomparably greater — and it cannot be over-estimated — than any inconvenience experienced by those who have to provide money to enable our men to fight the battle of freedom and civilisation.

“During the raising of the last loans I did not give out amounts subscribed from time to time.. I do not think it is a good thing to do except in a general way. Up to the present, even with Easter holidays breaking in, there is a reasonable response being made, but it is during the last week of the loan that the hulk of the money usually comes in. I am hopeful that the experience of the past will be repeated upon this occasion, and that we may he able to avoid taking the drastic course of putting compulsion' into operation, though if it should he necessary it must be done.”