DOMINION’S ARMY

Evening Star, Issue 23727, 7 November 1940, Page 15

DOMINION’S ARMY

30,080 OVERSEAS BY YEAR'S END ANNUAL EXPENDITURE, £8,593,639 [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, November 6. The growing strength of the forces of 'New Zealand, both at home and overseas, was reviewed by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, in an address tonight. About I,4UU people were present. The Minister discussed in particular the expansion of the Army and the Air Force. “ Every man who goes overseas with the Army costs £7OO for his equipment and £7 5s a week for his keep,” MlN’ash said, when referring to the war expenditure, he stated that at present there were 20,900 men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force overseas, 10,706 in training, and 0,487 waiting to bo called up, a total of 38,150. It was estimated that there would be a total of 30,000 men serving overseas before the end of the year. Mr Nash said the number of men in the Air* Force serving overeas was 890 in the Airforce proper, 95 in the Fleet Air Arm, and 71 in Canada. Since the outbreak of war 791 men had been sent overseas, and more wore to follow. It was planned under the accelerated progress to train a total of 4,382 Air Force personnel annually. There were 3,005 New Zealanders serving in either the Royal Navy or in Now Zealand naval work.

The total expenditure on defence foi the year ended on March 31, 1935, was £1,003,289, or 12s lid a head. The Minister added that this rose to £1,882,716 in 1938, and to £8,593,639, or £5 5s 3d a head, this year. “ I think thai it will be doubled in the next 12 months,” the Minister said. He also spoke of the important work done in building 91 aerodromes in New Zealand, and said the Pan-American Airways representative, who had visited Auckland, had said the aerodromes at VVhenuapai and Hob.sonvillo were bottei than anything they had in the United States.

The Minister emphasised the need of those who were not fighting to work harder to produce the goods necessary to win the war. When a total of nearly 60,000 men, including those on home defence. • had been taken out of production it was impossible still to have the same standard of living unless those left worked harder and produced more.

“ I am asking everyone here to use all the influence they can have in their jobs and among their friensd to get them to work harder than they have ever done before to bring goods into being that will enable us to keep our soldiers in a fit condition.” he said. Ho gave a promise that if the workers put their backs into it and produced more goods he would see that they got them. “ Both the Achilles and the Leander have done remarkable work,” said Mr Nash. “We get news fairly regularly of what the Leander is doing, and when that story is told wo will be just ns proud of all her men as we are of the men of the Achilles.”

The following resolution was declared by the chairman to have been carried by an overwhelming majority, only a few voices being heard in dissent:— ‘‘That this large gathering of Auckland citizens, after hearing Mr Nash, places on record its wholehearted confidence in him and the present Labour Government of New Zealand, and gives its sincere assurance to the Prime Minister of its loyalty and assistance in carrying out the splendid work done in the interests of the people of New Zealand.”