MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 April 1920, Page 5

MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS.

ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR. By Telecrnph.—Press Assn.—Copyrljjnt. T London, April 16. In the House of Commons, Mr. Hope, introducing the estimates of the Ministry of Munitions, stated that- at the end of the financial year the Ministry would have handed the Exchequer £19,000,000 for the relief of the taxpayer and the reduction of dtebtt Stores in France worth £40,000,000, had been sold, while stores worth £25,000,000 still remained' As regards (he War Office contract with Australia, which extended to the year after tlie war, supplies were still cornitifT in. There had been a profit, of £ 1 .>0,000,000 upon all articles, excepting wool. Under the wool contract for the year ended March 31. 191!), the profit n™ °. Ut £:J . 0C!I '! )00 for Britain. £2,000,000 for Australia, and over £(100.000 foi New Zealand, and for the current year he hoped the figures would be doubled. As regards the later period, the whole series of transactions -would undoubtedly give a most substantial pro lit, part of which would go to Australia and New Zealand under the terms of the. contract. Tlie Ministry was not being turned, into a Ministry of Supply, and would end by the statutory date After strong criticism of alleged evtravagance by the Department, the vote of .-C2<,000,000 for the .Ministry of Muni, tions was temporarily withdrawn, the 'government hoping to submit revised estimates in June.—lmperial Service.