THE COST OF WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 October 1917, Page 6

THE COST OF WAR.

JaTAGvic. rvl N G FIGURES. A TIMELY REPORT. LONDON Oct 27. > The Parliamentary select committee on National expenditure has submitted an interim report. The committee recommends; that the General Staff should be required to consider the financial aspect when considering alternative proposals. army commands should be impressed with the need lor further economies, and an efficient method of checking waste should be devised. : The committee recommends that Cabinet and the General Staff sim. consider whether so large a force oi troops and territorials is required fo. home service and munitions work. 1 The cost of guarding a post by a single sentry annually is £Bso_ Brass shell cases and boxes, worth several millions, have accumulated in France. The committee strongly urges a stronger financial check at the Ministry ,cf Munitions. The responsibility of settling prices of munitions contracts has not yet been determined, despite its expenditure being already over a thousand millions. The gros war cost to September is about five thousand millions. The gross dead-weight national debt, after deducting advances to Allies and the Dominions (which total 1321 millions) also war revenue will be about three thousand millions. If the war expenditure, and all receipts continue at the present rate, each half-year will add roughly a thousand millions to the debt or 750 millions, after deducting advances to the Allies and Dominions_ BRITAIN’S HUGE WAR BILL. LONDON, October 26. Mr. Bonar Law, will ask the House of Commons on Tuesday for an addi-, tional credit of £400,000,000, making the total war expenditure £5,692,000.