MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1919, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

| EXPENDITURE ON MUNITIONS. London, May 12. The report of the Auditor-General on the expenditure of the Ministry of Munitions during 1917-18 shows that heavy expenditure was often incurred without Treasury sanction; there were large losses through altering and cancelling contracts for which extravagant compensation was paid; in some cases the cancellation caused no real loss, but compensation was paid; a quarter of a million was spent in equipping a factory to produce a certain poison gas before it was decided to manufacture it, and eventually it was derideu not fo employ it: £206,000 was spent oh a series of camps to accommodate miners, the numbers were never more than 54d and dropped in six months to 90, and some of the camps were eventually empty. In 1 one ease a form was received-.for a contract of/a million without investigation, although the firm in previous contracts had notoriously made huge profits and charged excessive prices.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. LABOR OPPOSES ETKANCE KILL. London, Way 12. The Labor Party has decided to move the rejection of the second reading of the Finance Bill, protesting against its and the continuance of the taxation of necessities while the direct taxation of wealthy commercial under' takings is rednoed. SURRENDERED GERMAN SHIPS.

London, May 12. It was announced in the House of Conmwne that tile 'German ships sitrreii' dered to Britain nt» to Way » were 22 pasenjrer ve**lg, with ft!* aggregate tonnage of IflOSflO* tons gross, and 84 cargo carriers of 668.200 tons gross. IMMOBILISING feOMNK)NS SOLDIERS. London, May Itf. Colonel Leslie Wilson, in the course of the shipping statement !n the Souse of Commons, said that all Australians, Kew ZealandeM. and Canadians wotiM be returned home by the end of July ! Mr. Gtfest Intimated that the question of forming an Imperial Guard was receiving careful attention. Mr. Guest said the Bolshevik* had adopted poison pas on the north Russian j front, and we were jreparing to retaliate.