SOVIET FINANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 80, 16 January 1936, Page 5

SOVIET FINANCE

ARMY EXPENDITURE DOUBLED.

THE FEAR OF AGGRESSION.

LARGER BUMS FOR SOCIAL WORK

(United. Press Association—Copyright.) ,(Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.)- ■:> MOSCOW, January 15.

M. Grinko (Commissar of Finance), reports that the Soviet Budget surplus for 1935 is 700,000,000 roubles.

The Commissar outlined increased expenditure in 1936, including social cultural work, school buildings and public health. The military expenditure is expected to be almost double that in 1085— approximately 19 per cent, of the Budget. , . -v, :,',. Mr Grinko pointed out that the money was not merely being used to increase the number of effectives, ..but was being devoted also to modernisation of barracks and improvement or technical equipment, necessitated by the threat of German and Japanese aggression. The Government aimed at strengthening and stabilising the rouble in 1936. The industrial plan provides for an increase of 23 per cent in'-outp'ut, with" an increase of 10- per cent, -in wages. Agriculture is, promised 84,000 more tractorsj and it is expected that productivity will be increased by 24 per cent. ■ '.- , ~., .-• ..,.,. /,.,-....