BRITAIN HURRYING ARMY PROGRAMME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 7

BRITAIN HURRYING ARMY PROGRAMME.

HIGHER ESTIMATES. Ceaseless Activity to Get Service Up-to-Date. RECRUITING DISAPPOINTS United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. The Army Estimates for 1037 have been presented. Thev total ih.U2».o»io. representing an increase of £ 7,23!).000 on 1936. It is explained, hojvever, in an accompanying memorandum l.v the Minister of War. Mr. A. Duff-Cooper, that the Estimates would have been £<2 174.1M10. constituting an increase of £_'rt.20,5.000 over lfKili, l,„t for the proposal to meet Army expenditure on equipment. works and services, including lmge munition supplies to the extent o7 £1 !».•».,4.000. in new issues from the Consolidated Fund under the Defence Loans Bill. It is further explained that, whereas in l!>3fi £.y> 1.800 was included in the Army Lstimates for construction of Government factories. provision for expenditure in 1037 of f7.o4ti.nno was included in the Royal Ordnance Factories Kstimate and issues from the Consolidated Fund under the Defence Loans Bill.

Increased expenditure in 1937 was mainly due to expansion and acceleration of the programme. Bringing the military up-to-date had been marked by ceaseless activity last year in every sphere of military policy, including mechanisation and modernisation of the Army and improvement of coast air defences at home and abroad.

The Minister adds: '"Our joint aim i* to produce military forces which will he adequate to supply increased garrisons at home and overseas, and for the maintenance of order in the Empire."

Army establishment, excluding India, is 168.90 ft. compared with 1~>5.400 in 1936, and 186,400 in 1914.

Mr. Duff-Cooper added that although recruiting had improved in recent weeks, it is still below their hopes and need*. He stated that already six munition factories were being erected in distressed areas and others will be necessarv.

tive home cavalry regiments were being mechanised, two will be experimentally mechanised in Egypt.

Estimates for the Royal Ordnance factories total £1fi.1»>4.000, an increase of £10.187,000. MUCH RESEARCH. Scientific Results Improve Army Efficiency. CO-OPERATION OF INDUSTRY. British Official Wireless. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, March 4. After dealing with recruiting problems and improvement in barrack accommodation, including provision of quarters for married soldiers brought up to the standard obtaining for civilian life, Mr. Duff-Cooper's memorandum with the Army Estimates adds that research in spheres of explosives, ballistics and radiology continues to yield important results, the application of which lias led to increased efficiency in various arms of the Service, notably in the Royal Artillery, the Royal Eif*t;ineers and the Royal Corps of Signals.

Referring to the readiness with which industry lias co-operated in developing national resources for the supply of munitions, the memorandum says that not only has it been necessary to expand the existing and create new Government factories lint to enlist the interest of many firms with 110 previous experience of production of munitions and Army equipment. This has been done with a minimum of interference with ordinary commercial business. LIVE IN LUXURY. COMFORTS FOR THE TROOPS. LOXDOX. February 26. Army privates will soon live in baclie-1 lor flats with running hot water and wireless laid on. and tennis courts a few yards away. The War Office announces that new barracks are being constructed on garden city lines. The first soldiers to move into the new luxurious barracks that are being planned will be two battalions of the Royal Tank Corps. The buildings are Delng constructed on the edge of Salisbury Plain. Xot only will the men be housed in comfort that would have made a Boer War ser<reantniajor gasp, but the barracks will al/o be works of art, for the Fine Arts Commission has had a hand in the designing ! The buildings will be divided into small groups of centrally-heated barrackrooms. Each croup will have a sitting room, drving room, and accommodation for the storing of belongings. Kach soldier will have a steel wardrobe tv himself. The married quarters will be equally comfortable, and modern, with kitchens "'with labour-saving gadgets and wellplanned houses.