DEFENCE EXPENDITURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 10

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE

NEARLY £1,000,000 PER ANNUM.

PROPORTION TO THE NAVY.

MAINTENANCE OF CRUISERS [BX TELEGRAPH. —OWN" COBHESPONDBNT.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. The Prime Minister, speaking at Auckland on Saturday, remarked that the Dominion's expenditure on defence would soon be £1,000,000 a year, but there is an impression abroad that when making this statement Mr. Massey was referring .to naval defence alone.

In the course of an interview to-day Mr. Massqy made it clear that his remarks had reference to both naval and land defence. " Some people thought when I mentioned the cost that I was speaking of naval defence," said Mr. Massey. "I was speaking of the total cost of defence, both naval and military, and I said that in all probability it would reach £1.000,000 within a year or . two, and was not very far short of £1,000,000 now. A million for, the size of a population like New Zealand is not at all a bad contribution."

A misapprehension under which some people labour with respect to the cost of naval defence was also cleared up by Mr. Massey. At the present time New Zealand bears the cost of maintenance of a cruiser which forms a unit in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, and Mr. Massey has stated that at some time in the future another cruiser may also be obtained, and later on, possibly a third. New Zealand does not buy these cruisers or pay the cost of their construction a3 some people think. The Dominion's expenditure is merely on maintenance. Mr. Massey's statement on this point to-day was as follows:— " The cruisers are practically loaned to us ,by the British Government on the understanding that as long as they serve the purpose there will be no interference in that respect, and the British Government will not take them away. Wo pay the maintenance."

The cost of the maintenance of H.M.S. Dunedin, which was about to become the flagship of the New Zealand Division, Mr. Massey proceeded, would be between £250,000 and £300,000 per annum. He thought, however, that the cost of maintaining the Dunedin would be less than that of the Chatham, which is proceeding to the East Indies, because the complement of the Dunedin was 100 men less, and the Dnnedin was an oil burner, whereas the Chatham used coal for fuel. Mr. Massey added: "If we go #in for another cruiser naval defence will probably cost about £500,000 a year. When the time comes when we think it our duty to take over another cruiser she will be a vessel like the Danae or Dauntless, which are sister ships of the Dunedin." " In conclusion, Mr. Massey said the arrangement under which New Zealand worked in regard to naval defence enabled the British Government to withdraw some of the smaller cruisers which it had out in these waters. s