Proposals

Northern Advocate, 27 October 1949, Page 5

Proposals

Outlining the Government’s proposed economies, Sir Stafford said the capital expenditure cut of £140,000,000 would affect gas and electricity and the whole field of transport and communica'tions, housing and timber.

Administrative staffs would be. reduced by no fewer than. 10,000. The £30,000,000 defence saving would be made up largely of a substantial reduction in headquarters staff and reductions in training, maintenance and administrative establishments. The strength of the armed forces at April 1, 1950, would be more than 20,000 below the estimated figure of 750,000. Sir Stafford continued: “We cannot afford to give further loans or credits to other countries except in' very special cases, but colonial development and investment must be continued.” Chief reductions in the. dollar import programme would be in food {other than wheat and sugar), tobacco and in raw materials of various kinds. There was no advantage to be gained from raising short-term money rates.

He moved the Government’s motion approving the economies outlined by Mr Attlee on Monday. The first Opposition speaker, Mr Anthony Eden, said the Chancellor’s fpeech was an indictment of his own administration.

Mr Eden described parts of the speech as “pious exhortations, which were extremely welcome, completely indisputable, and might serve very well as mottoes to be drawn out of a Christmas cracker.” Mr Eden said he could not understand the Government’s view of national psychology. It was impossible to match the Government’s proposals with the realities of the hour.

The matchless opportunity for rallying the nation had been pitifully missed.