BRITAIN'S DEFENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume 246, Issue 246, 16 October 1926, Page 9

BRITAIN'S DEFENCES.

EVER-INCREASING COST

QUESTION FOR CONFERENCE.

LONDON, October 15.

Britain's expenditure on defence, although savings had been made wherever possible, now amounts to f 116,500,000 per annum, compared with £77,000,000 in 1913-14. The cost of the fighting services has risen only 51 per cent as compared with the cost of living increase of 72 per cent. Questions of defence will come before the Imperial Conference, and were referred to by Sir Samuel Hoare, Air Secretary. While all three services are working with the utmost co-operation and all overlapping has been combated the dividing of the Air Force between the Army and Navy, said Sir Samuel Hoare, would duplicate the expenditure on organisation.

A Ministry of Defence uniting all services was at present uneconomical and impracticable owing to there being insufficient unity of feeling between the services.

The Minister emphasised that all efforts were directed to employing the resources for the needs of the Empire as a whole. This was particularly the basis of the air policy. hence the reason for developing airships to transport men and aeroplanes to the most distant parts of the Empire. Recent long flights were practice with that end in view.