BIG WAR VOTE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13540, 18 November 1914, Page 3

BIG WAR VOTE.

WAR COSTING NEARLY" £1,000,000 , DAILY. GOOD CONDUCT OF TROOPS. MORE' MEN WANTED^ LONDON, Nov. 17. , The House of Commons agreed to a million vote, and also to an extra million men. ' Mr Asquith stated that the actual cost of the war Was between £900,000 and a million daily. W Aaquith added that the daSly cost of 'theVw-V; was not likely to be dimimshv . . cd. The larger part of the first £100,---000,000 had been-spent on military operations and loans to Allies and disburse.mente for the purpose of securing British food supplies, especially sugar and wheat. The cost of this would be recouped to m the Exchequer, when the consumers paid. Tho greater part of the 225 millions would be spent on the army and navy, but £45,000,000 was war loans, of which £30,250,000 would go to Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New IZealand, ©b-

I viating the necessity of their coming to the London market. A portion of the vote would be expended on commodities which it was necessary to exclude from J the use of our opponents. |- The Times expert, m the course of speculation on the possibilities of the war Budget, points out that incomes have been • lowered owing to economic disturbances, and any increased' taxaI tion will be peculiarly difficult. Nevertheless, the Ministry will probably propose to meet part of the war expenditure from revenue, and certain articles of consumption previously free may be taxed. . Replying- to questions m the House of Commons to-day,: the. Premier (Right Hon. H. H. Asquith) said no, war news had been withheld except under stress of immediate military exigencies. While supplies were being withheld from the enemy, 'it was necessary not to act high-handedly with neutral countries. Larger supplies of coal than usual were going to Scandinavia because the German supplies had been stopped. He denied that 30 to 40 per cent, bf our soldiers were suffering from preventable diseases, from drink, and other causes. Careful' inquiries showed that 10 to 15 per cent, would cover all sickness. He believed there had never been a body of men comporting themselves so well and showed such regard for sobriety and decency of conduct. There were now 1,100,000 of the regular army, apart from 200,000 territorials, but it was not enough.