WAR EXPENDITURE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17666, 19 December 1917, Page 6

WAR EXPENDITURE.

CALLS ON THE EXCHEQUER. Some of tho items of expenditure mes by New Zealand in connection with the war were referred to by Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of Finance) at the opening of the Sti Clair Post Office on Monda, i'iie exigencies of war demands, ha said, Avere, from the financial standpoint, of the most varied nature, and as Minister of Finance he could not.tel) on one day Avh&t might be required on tho following day to mee'b the expenditure. that ivas taking place in connection with New Zealand’s soldiers at the front, because for every battle in which our men were engaged this Dominion provided the whole of the money for munitions, guns, etc. It also provided pay, allowances and pensions for the mein or their dependents; tho cost of transport, of conveyance of men on leave in England or elsewhere, of shells for the battleship, and of other necessaries. Recently, on one day he had to provide a sum of £3,300,000 in England. That Avas Avitliin the last three weeks. Three or four days afterwards he Avas called on to provide £600,000 for the payment of butter and cheese purchased by the Imperial Government m connection with tho war. As certain financial arrangements had not been made in England, that money had to be provided here. No autliority had been given by Parliament for the provision of that great sum, but the transaction had to be carried out, and it -was carried out, thus enabling a number of dairying people from end to end of New Zealand to have progress payments made to them on account of their butter and cheese. The money had since been replaced by the British Government making full payment into the public account in London-