COST OF THE WAR

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13170, 7 October 1914, Page 6

COST OF THE WAR

■ . M% ZEALAND'S:SHAKE. , •,. ■».-.•• .ir, v:.|WeSgTONj :.Oct.Vs.;:', T|io question: of ,tlio • cost .of. the w to Now - Zoalaiul fwaa raisedHouse of •Hoprosoututivos to-night. v-.Tlm Sydney Daily Telegraph' has. published n-statoiiicut to the effect that'the-ex-penso to this country would be £IU,' 000,000, nnd- Mr. G, AV. ;.«ÜBsell asked it any reliability was to'be placed on this estimate.. ' ~.■'• Tlio Prime Miiiistor: Quite übßiird. Ifix Uusscll said that unless our Expeditionary Forco was away from Ncv Zealand a great deal longer Hum it .-was expected 1 -tor- be, -llio cost would not reach £10,000,000. , ..-..:. , The lion. .James Allen (Minister of Defence): It did not come from' hero. Mr liiisscl),; No, it came from London. "'^ Mr .Itusacll added that the coot would total £3,000,000 or £4,000,000. Mr Allen: Too high. Mr BussoJJ said that after having carefully considered the, matter, he reckoned the cost would .'reach £3,500,000, but. ho added: "I don't profess to have the insido knowledge the .Government has.on the subject." .

"Pure pifllc," "abspluto balderdash," was the comment of the Minister of Finance to an intorviewcrwho questioned him this evening regarding the cabled estimate of ten millions sterling, as the amount New Zealand will expend on tho war. Asked whether lie cared to give any estimate of the probable expenditure on the war, Mr Allen replied: "How can 1 until J have some idea of the duration of tlio'wad • I have already told the, House that I have made arrangements, for two-millions, and I Jiopo that will carry.us on for some time yet." -'—'■■* " ■-■■■ ■"•■-