WAR EXPENDITURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17190, 18 December 1917, Page 5

WAR EXPENDITURE

CALLS ON THE EXCHEQUER.

Some of the items of expenditure met by New Zealand.in connection with the war. were referred to by Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of Finance) at the opening of the St. Clair Post Office yesterday. The exigencies of war deinands, ho said, were, from the financial standpoint, of the most varied nature, and as Minister of Finance he could not tell on one day what might bo required on the following day to meet the expenditure that was taking place in connection, with New Zealand's soldiers at the front, becauso for every battle in which our men were engaged this dominion provided tho whole of the money for muniguns, etc. It also provided pay, allowances, and pensions for the men or their dependents; the cost of transport, of conveyance of men on leave in England or' elsewhere, of shells for the battleship, and of other ..necessaries. Recently, on one day he had to provide a sum of £3,300,000 in England. That was within the last three' weeks. Three or four days afterwards he was called on to provide £600,000 for the payment of butter and cheese purchased by the Imperial Government in connection with ■. the war. As certain financial arrangements had not been made in England, that money had to be provided here. No authority had been given by Parliament for the provision of that great sum, but the transaction had to be carried out, and it was carried out. thus enabling a number of dairying people from end to end of New Zealand to have progress payments made to them on account of their butter and cheese. The money had since been replaced by the British Government making full payment into the public account in London.