MILLIONS WASTED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4817, 14 March 1918, Page 5

MILLIONS WASTED.

BRITISH MUNITIONS DEPARTAIENT. A SEVERE INDICTMENT. SOAIE REAIARKABLE DISCLOSURES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON. Alarcli 12. A severe indictment of the Alinistry of Alunitions is a feature of the report of the Committee on National Expenditure. Tlie Alinistry erected national factories valued at sixty-six million pounds and granted private firms sixteen millions to meet capital expenditure. The Alinistry’s officers are the only security the taxpayer lias that enormous sums are wisely spent. Three millions were saved in cordite alone by a reduction of prices after the accountants investigated the cost. Similar investigations resulted in a saving of thirty-five millions in the cost of gun ammunition during tlie two years ending September, 1917. compared with the first year of the war. In another case a contract for gun equipments was £7.750.000. which was reduced by two millions after the Government accountants had investigated the contract. Another company had an engineering contract of four million pounds sterling, and made a profit of £l,300.000. It then offered a considerable rebate for orders, and made a second profit of half a million. The firm refused any arrangement. depending on the investigation of its hooks. .The committee propose to check this profligacy by effective control of costings and the fixing of rates of profit; also bv strengthening tlie authority of Finance Department-