THE DEFENCE ESTIMATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 245, 13 October 1917, Page 10

THE DEFENCE ESTIMATE.

• ' - I DID SOMEONE BLUNDER ? DEFENCE MINISTER'S EMPHATIC DENIAL U'-y I "losrap'j —Parli:imenT:iry P.oi¥i-tcr.^ W KI.LINOTON". Fridar. V pidd Joal of ronimont luis l>ec?n parsed i'> members, in and out i.f the House, during the last few days, about the ap-jiar.-nt di.-rrepam-ies between tlie Defeiu-e <->timatf- and the actual requirements. v- revealed by tlie nwe<sity of askini; fT a further war loan of four millions. To-day the Oefence Minister made a direvt denial that the Defence Department's estimate had ln»en wrong in any particular. lie stated that the Defence est'.mat.v on May J-Jiid la-; lor the year f-cdin!; March .:;. l'.ilS. were C.1.1.0.0W1, in those estimates beinj; included £"iO.O()U per mouth as extra per capita tliav.es from the War iitli.e. In duly, went on tiie Minister, they received a telegram from tin War I mice to -ay that ._."!.."«0.- ---< would i..- required in addition to what had already been estimated. IniiiLrinir the total to C_4.4Sn.OISD. On .\u_:ist _4ttl another account was received'from the War I »fl:eo for C.'.oo.nuu. making a total ol C_S.noO.ilOO, this last halt" million bein;» s. tit in after the lluduet was dolivercd. He wished to emphasisi- that the Defence estimate*, to March 31, litis. were correct and sufficient. He made tbe statement deliberately that the expenditure at the end of March would be within the Defence estimates expenditure. For «i\ months ended September :ifl laM it was U7.300,----t«Mi. and for the folb.win._- six months the estimated expenditure was CT.:KI0,000. ■nit!; the addition of C.OO.IVH) to b«- on the safe sale: while Imperial and War Office charges he estimated at .I'TSO.OOO Vcr in. nth for the twelve months, makinsr C'.>.3„n,000 for the year, which, with rhe Defence total, broujlht the whole amount at the end of the financial year to K24.1W.000. as against later estimates 01 C_.">..._n.(HlO. l.eavinir out, therefore. f..20.000 not notitied before The Budget was delivered, they would still he w Thin their estimates, lie hoped, therefore, that memlier. and the country would imt _et tiie impression that ■there was anything wronz with the Defence "stiaiates. It was perfectly correct. e.miinued -ir dames Allen" that the Defence Minister was responsible for the Defence estimates, and no one would be more delimited than the Defence Minister and the Defence Department that any commission should be set _p to inquire into the Defence expenditure. It was impossible, during war time, to avoid all extravagance, but in Xew Zealand all accounts had -vatched carefully. Mr. Forbes: What does the Atldit Department fo say about loose vouchers? Sir dames Allen: I don't know what the hon. irentleman is allud: ._' to. Expenditure ;. carefully checked, and I challenir" inquiry from anyone. Mr. Forbes: Your own auditor stated that vouchers were very loose. It was in tbe papers. Sir James Allen: I don't care what -was m the paper-. If the hon. gentleman has a grievance let him bring it up before tne Commission. I challenge inquiry from anybody. Mr. Payne: fell us what that £750.000 per monta U about. To this question the Minister made r.n answer.