TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION CREDIT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13790, 16 September 1915, Page 3

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION CREDIT.

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY PRIME

MINISTER

BRITISH BATTLE LINE EXTENDED

DEMORALISATION OF THE

TURKS,

(Received Sept. 16, 8.45 a.m.)

LONDON, Sept. 15. Mr Asquith, m moving for a credit of 250 million pounds, said this * would carry them to the third week m November. The nation 'had been spending 3£ mil lions daily for the last 56 days. Tho main cause of the growth waa advances to our Allies and provision for munitions. Almost three million men had enlisted since tho beginning of the war.

(Received Sept. 16, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 15. The official vote of 260 million covers not only the Navy and Army, but all such war expenditure as payments, m restoration of credit, encouragement of trade and industry, and to facilitate the raising of funds for dominions, protectorates, and allied powers.

(Received September 16, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 15. Mr Asquith said the net expenditure of 3£ millions had been increased to £4. 200,000 by advances to the Allies. The Army and Navy from April Ist to September 11th had cost £371 > 000,000. The Army expenditure m September was estimated at two millions daily. The present vote made a total of £1,262,000,000. ,

Wo might assume .that m future the weekly expenditure would not exceed an average of thirty-five millions. These huge figures did not say even now that the country was doing all it nright or ought, but the attempts that were being made to belittle and disparage their efforts had most mischievous results.

(Received Sept. 16, 9.10 a.m.) We had vastly exceeded any standard dreamt of before the war, but as it proceeded the war was constantly making new requirements and demanding new sacrifices m men, munitions and finance.

We had to raise and equip armies and ships and to repair wastage of men. and secure an influx into the decisive theatre of war of a steady stream of trained men and ever-growing supply of apparatus.

Our positions m France and Flanders had been strengthened. Large reinforcements had been despatched and substantial additions made m artillery and,, ammunition,. and also an extension of the line.

While the operations at the Dardanelles had not succeeded m dislodging the lurks from the crests of the hills, there had been substantial gains. No words of admiration, he said could be too strong for the Army's gallantry and the resource shown, especially by the Australians and New Zealanders. „ (Choers.) >. [ The Germans had succeeded for the time being m forcing back the Russian fighting line, but the retreat; had been conducted m a masterly fashion. The army was still unbroken. ' The autumn was rapidly advancing, but the Geronan objective -was yet -far out of reach. The Tsar's assumption of the command was significant proof of the unalterable determination of the Russian people. All this confirmed the view that this war was to a large extent a war of onechanism, organisation and endurance. Ihe situation • was a testing one. The Minister of Munitions, concluded Mr Asquith, had established twenty shell factories, and eighteen were m course of construction. , Eight hundred thousand persons were employed m, 715 controlled establishments and eighteen foundries under departments. All that was now needed to complete the work was an adequate supply of labor. None i-ould do the* work better than women. If women step forward there will be no hindrance m their way by employers or men. Since the outbreak of war almost three million have offered themselves for the Navy and Army, though there have been signs of falling . o ff m recruiting m the last few weeks. The casualties were over 381,000, but the rnte of recovery from wounds was such that the net wastage was considerably less.

We are liable for advances to other countries of not much below 250 millions, and had by no means reached the ultimate limit. Victory seemed likely to incline ito the side which could arm the best ajid stay the longest. That was what Britain meant to do. The year's survey called for satisfaction at the great effort and sacrifice made, and regret at some mistakes" and miscalculations, but it did -not call for vecrimination, which was the cheapest and least fruitful form of self-indul-gence.

Out duty was to satisfy our Allies' legitimate requirements, and to discharge the unique burdens imposed on a free people.

To-day we realised more clearly the sincerity of our diplomacy through the mists of sophistry and mendacity wherewith Berlin sought to obscure a.nd befoul the international atmosphere. We also realised the passionate lovo for peace wherewith we sought to avert the catastrophe of a world-wide conflict. (Received September 16, 11.45 a.m.) There was no doubt (continued Mr Asquith) regarding the ultimate triumph of the Allied cause upon the stricken Held.

One thing to be deprecated was the sinister spectre of domestic strife. "Do not let it be said," he urged, "that m the greatest nioment of history our arm is shorn of its strength, or there is any failure to concentrate upon the unoxampled task the consentient counsels, the undivided energy, and the unbroken and indomitable will of the British people. (Loud applause.) ,

The High Commissioner reports : — LONDON, Sept. 15,4.15 p.m. Mr Asquith, m moving a vote of credit to-day, announced that the daily net war expenditure from July 18th to September 11th was three and a-half millions.