BUDGET DEBATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 89, 16 April 1927, Page 9

BUDGET DEBATE.

CHURCHILL'S REPLY. Comparing Before-the-War Costs. DEFENCE NEEDS. (Ey Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON*. April 15. Replying to the debate on the Budget, Mr. Churchill said the discussion had shown an almost unanimous approval of his financial proposals for the year, though his 1925 Budget, which was full of good things, almost resulted in his being hounded out of public life. The present cost of the central Government was only £157.000,000 out of £515.000,000. The same services cost £0fi,000.000 l>cforc the war. If allowance were made for the decreased value of money, they would be found to be costing 10 per cent less than before the war. (Ministerial cheers.) Members talked of economy, but when any specific proposal was "made they criticised it in a tone of unwonted asperity. The size of the Army was not excessive, in view of the needs of the Empire. Before any large reduction in the Naw could be made the country must decide whether it was ready to" abandon the one-power standard or not. Mr. Churchill said there were three preat naval Powers in the world, but fortunately they lived at opposite corners of the earth. If there were no great upheaval in the trade of the country the results for the year must be incomparably better than for last year. The Chancellor would get the benefit of these results concentrated in the income-tax. The debate then closed.