NEEDS OF SERVICES

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20921, 28 September 1939, Page 9

NEEDS OF SERVICES

ESTIMATES GIVEN £1,575,000 FOR SPECIAL FORCE TERRITORIAL AIR FORCE (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Wednesday More detailed estimates of defence expenditure for the remainder of the present financial year were given by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in the House of Representatives tonight during the second reading. debate of the War Expenses Bill. The amount for the Army, £5,000,000, included items of £1,575,000 for the training of the first three echelons of the special force. The first echelon of 6600 which would be in camp for the six months to the end of the financial year, said the Minister, would cost £900,000. The second echelon of 5000 would be in camp for four months of the financial year at a cost of £450,000, and the third echelon of 5000 would be in camp for two months at a cost of £225,000, making a total of £1,575,000. Other items of estimated expenditure were as follows: —Mobilisation camps, other accommodation and protection of vital points, £750,000; clothing and boots for the three echelons, £125,000; medical examinations and dental treatment, £13,000; equipment and ammunition, £1,000,000. Contingencies, transport, uniforms, fares, etc., £537,000. The Minister said that no one could say that these estimates would not be exceeded if it were necessary for the men to go overseas. Air Force Requirements Referring to the estimated expenditure of £3,500,000 on the Air Force for the remainder of the current year, Mr Jones said the balance now unexpended would be made up as follows: —Mobilisation of the Territorial Air Force, £75,000; purchase of aircraft from commercial companies and aviation clubs, £125,000; cost of increasing the establishment of the regular air force owing to war, £150,000. Additional expenditure on buildings and equipment for air force stations, £700,000; the total being £1,050,000. Naval expenditure for the balance of the year, Mr Jones said, was estimated at £745,000, and probable expenditure for the following financial year was £1,800,000. The total to March 31, 1941, was estimated to reach about £3,000,000. The debate was still in progress at a late hour.