DEFENCE COST IN POLAND

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 11

DEFENCE COST IN POLAND

Increase Shown

In Budget (Bee. 8 pjn.) WARSAW. Jan. 33. Poland’s defence expenditure will rise by 2.200 million zlotiee (about'£B2,SOO,OOOl thts year to 12,900 million xloties (about £188.000,000). This defence spending will be out of a total budget of 168,100 million xloties (about £2458 milion), the Polish Finance Minister, Mr Tadeusz Dietrich, announced today. But 76 par cent of the increase in defence expenditure is, in fact caused by the higher prices of goods supplied to the Army. The prices worn increased to make the industries concerned more profitable. Mr Dietrich. presenting the MM Budget to the Sejm (Parliament), said the 'defence increase was proof of the "(unchanging policy of our State and of our confidence in the stability of international relations.** He said 10,000 State posts would be abolished during the year, reducing the number of State employees to 200,000. Although the number of hospital beds would be Increased to 7,300 this year, Poland still had the poorest-equipped hospitals.

Rain In North-Vest Australia

(Rec. 10.30 pm.) PERTH, Jan. 22. Torrential min—the flrat substantial fall for nearly two years In some areas—fell in droughtstricken north-west Australia yesterday. An intense depression brought nearly eight inches in 34 hours to “Mardie” station.- in the direct path of the depression.' Tens of thousands of sheep are expected to be saved by the rains, which by this morning had moved inland to about 100 miles east of Onslow, bringing widespread benefit to pastures.