BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 20 February 1920, Page 5

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Austral'an A N.Z. Cable Association 1 LONDoi, Feb. 17. The Army vote of £75,000,000 for from four to five months is the heaviest expenditure out of the year’s total of £125,000,000, of which £55,000,000 is for an establishment on the 1914-15 basis, £29,500,000 for the terminal war charges, including cemeteries, medals, transport services, and restoration of private property; and £40,500,000 for garrisoning Germany, Constantinople, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia. The total British Array provided for is 525,000 troops, excluding India. It is expected that this number will diminish during the year to 280,000. In the House Commons, Mr Shortt, the Home Secretary, announced a Bill dealing with possession of firearms, consequent on the recent increase in burglaries and violent crimes. It was announced in the House of Commons that General Townshend’s resignation, announced last month, was tendered under a misapprehension, and has been withdrawn. In the House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain stated that the estimated subsidy to the railways for the current financial year would be over £50,000,000, for coal £32,200,000, and for bread £56,500,000. (Rec Feb. 20, 8.45 a.rn) LONDON, Feb. 18. In view of the increased railway charges and the postal eriployecs demands it is expected the Budget will announce higher postage, while the parcel post will be increased fifty per cent.