EXPENDITURE ON THE ARMY

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22767, 20 July 1939, Page 12

EXPENDITURE ON THE ARMY

FIGURES FOR RECENT YEARS

WELLINGTON, July 19,

“Expenditure by the Government on the army has been higher in the last two years than in any year since 192728,” said the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-night. Expenditure for the last financial year, he said, was £706,753, compared with £156,311 spent in 1931-32. The Minister gave figures as follows; — »

VOLUNTARY TRAINING SYSTEM MINISTER DENIES SUGGESTIONS WELLINGTON, July 19. A reply to suggestions made at various times that the Chief of the General Staff (Major-General J. E. Duigan) was responsible for the continuance of the voluntary military training system was made by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) when speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-night. “Various attempts have been made to attribute the continuance of the voluntary training system to General Duigan.” Mr Jones said. “That, however, is perfectly wrong. The question whether or not any particular training system shall be in force is the Government’s responsibility, and the head of any department is responsible for carrying out the policy of the Government.”

1927-28 453,580 1928-29 # , 425,813 1929-30 401,645 1930-31 , , 299,050 1931-32 156,311 1932-33 180,112 1933-34 215,950 1934-35 321,686 1935-36 387,181 1936-37 , , 427,635 1937-38 , , 529,632 1938-39 706,753