EMPIRE DEFENCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 1 February 1936, Page 7

EMPIRE DEFENCES

PLANS FOR REPAIRING GAPS LOAN OF £250,000,080 REPORTED NO OFFICIAL CONFIRMATIONI '’United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received Ist February, 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, 31st January. The “Sun-Herald" says that conferences of the Cabinet Defence Committee, consisting of senior Cabinet members and defence chiefs under Mr .Stanley Baldwin’s chairmanship, which commenced at the Now Year and continued almost without interruption except for the day of the King’s funeral, have now terminated. It concentrated on defence estimates and a re-armament programme.. A White Paper will shortly be issued giving details of the Gov= ermnenUs plans for repairing gaps in Empire defences. They are a welbkept secret Hat it is generally believed that in view of European and Asiatic unsettled conditions they will be more extensive than in= tended before the election, involving a larger defence loan. It is believed that the Government will have no difficulty in raising £209,001),00!) or more over a period of years if it desires such an amount for defence. The “Daily Herald” says the loan will be ' £250,000,000, partially through Treasury issues, but no official confirmation is available.