Military Training And The Budget

Northern Advocate, 17 August 1949, Page 5

Military Training And The Budget

Holland On . . .

WELLINGTON, Wed. (P.A.)—“lt is quite obvious that the delay in launching military training is entirely due to the importance of relieving this year’s finances and thus make an electionyear Budget possible,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) today. He said that in anticipating the contents of the 1949 Budg T tne public would not fail to considii three important factors: (1) This was election year and Mr Nash nad npvei faneo to use his eleo-tjrn-year Budget to woo electors, and there was ro reason to suppose that 194 P would be any exception. ,2, The Minis'er had so many milxiu'.s to spare last year that he ,iad to transfer them to other accounts so that he could operate freely in election year. “URGENCY PASSES AWAY”

(3) The urgency for military training seemed to have passed away since Mr Nash began writing his Budget and the first recruits would not enter camp for nearly another year. Therefore, no provision would have to be made to meet this new defence expense till next year. That was most significant. "The Minister, has upward of £10,000,000 to ‘play with’ so the public has every reason to anticipate some juicy electioneering bait on Thursday night, but it will take more than an electioneering Budget to arrest the present deterioration in the Government fortunes." said Mr Holland. DISAPPOINTING “Delay in getting military training going will disappoint those who worked so hard for the referendum. “Wc were all told that the situation was critical and very urgent, that the referendum could not even wait until the general election. “It is no use saying the military authorities could not handle the recruits until next May. “They showed during the war that thev can rise to the occasion if only they had known the Government’s plans. “What they did before they can do again. “The whole trouble is that the Government has just muddled along without plans for defence.”