RUSSIA’S WAR BUDGET.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 55, 4 March 1916, Page 6

RUSSIA’S WAR BUDGET.

WAR COSTING THREE MILLIONS DAILY. HUGE DEPOSITS IN SAVINGS BANK. PEOPLE UNABLE TO SPEND ON DRINK. PETROGRAD, March 2. The Budget shows a deficit of 37 millions sterling. The war is costingthree millions daily. Drink revenue has fallen from 68 millions to less than a million. Since the war 350 millions have been paid into the savings banks. The conditions of the war necessitated a large issue of paper money. It was an inevitable evil imposed with extreme prudence. The Minister emphasised that Russia must have full economic independence. He was confident that after the war a rich and powerful Russia would arise. VERDUN AND SUBURBS BADLY SMASHED. LONDON, March 1. Many of Verdun's suburbs have been severely hammered by the bombardment, and numerous civilians have been victims. The new church and the old cathedral were targets on Thursday and Friday night. Heavy shells fell almost one per minute. Parts ‘of the town are in ruins. NATION’S SACRIFICE, WILL IT BE MADE? HARDEE WORK —POSTPONED PLEASURES. LORD KITCHENER’S GREAT APPEAL. LONDON, March 1. Lord Kitchener, speaking at the Guildhall) on the formation of the National Economy League, said hitherto we had filled the gaps by vast importations from foreign countries. Owing to the naturally increasing difficulty of paying for these imports, it is essential that we should rely much more upon, ourselves. Therefore, civilians must go short of many things to which they are accustomed in peace times or the armies must go short of indispensable things. "Which is to be?" he asked. "Are civilians at Home prepared that their friends and brothers in the trenches should sacrifice their lives and endure hardships of als kinds, and yet themselves not be ready to undergo small sacrifices in the way of harder work and increased economy, which alone can with certaint} 1 - provide our armies with all they require till the end of the war.