THE WAR EXPENDITURE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXX, Issue 11188, 2 March 1915, Page 5

THE WAR EXPENDITURE.

STATEMENT IN THE COMMONS GERMAN PIRACY. Keceived March 2j 1};85 a.m. London, March 1. . Mr Asquith, in moving . the votes of credit, referred to on Friday, said that out of 862 millions -275 went to the Army, and thirty-eight millions was represented by adr vanoes to the war-expenditure of the self-governing Dominions. Out average daily expenditureon the Army was a million and a half. It was deemed advisable to maice provision for all expenditure* up-to the second week in July. The expenditure on the Navy was four hundred thousand daily. The Government was satisfied with recruiting, whilst the Territorials were now capable of confronting any troops in the world. .The whole of the Dominions and Indian had made splendid contributions of men, v who would soon be in the fighting line. He did not think neutrals would sit qniet as though they were still under the protection of the rules of oi vilised warfare. They bad to face Germany’s 'organised "policy of piracy and pillage. It was grotesque and puerile to call it a blockade.

THE BELGIANS’ APPEAL* GERMANS KEEP AGREEMENT. Sydney, March 1. Replying to Mr Holman’s cable respecting the Belgians’: appeal, the Hon. Coghlan states that the Germans have not interfered with the Belgian food supplies. Since the beginning of December they have faithfully kept the agreement. The Biitiab Government had not given monthly subventions beyond the donation of £IOO,OOO, bat - was willing to make up the Commission’s deficit provided the Germans cease pecuniary levies* Sir Edward Grey’s statement was really addressed beyond the Commission to German and neutral opinion. The Foreign Office is exceedingly sorry if- Sir Edward Grey’s statement interfered with the flow of. private charitable contributions. A powerful English pommitte /is using formed with Lord Bryce as chairman, to privately, carry out what the Government would like to do, but is prevented Tfom doing hy the German levies on the conquered country. The Foraign Office states that the situation regarding private subscriptions remains exactly the same as before Sir Edward Grey’s letter was written.

GOVERNMENT TO GIVE £15,000. A SATISFACTORY REPLY. Wellington, Match I.’ . ..The Prime Minuter aretes that the question of . assistance towards . .the relief of Belgian diatreaa was considered at a meeting of the Cabinet to-day. 'The decision of the Govern-

meat is contained In the telegram, which the Prime Minfmr',K’s has,...sent to his.. Excellency Che Governor. ; , ’ “The Prime Minister presents hia '/>2 compliments and begs 7 to request that bis Excellency will. Secretary of State for the Colonic* /:« by telegraph that the New Zealand ‘a Government is prepared to forward- ‘ » immediately £15,000 from, the Con- IJ solidated Fnnd for the relief of dietressed Belgians, >rwith mote to follow monthly, if ise New Zealand Government can-Vbe 'givqn/'aii' aasuranoe that the money or food purchased therewith will be used.for -/ the purpose for whioh it iriutonded. —(Signed! W. F. Massey.” * In reply to the cable sent to the . •} Belgian Ambassador in London, the ' Consul at Wellington has been Informed that the Belief Fnnd le -< mostly employed in purchasing .foodstuffs, distributed .in Jjfolginm through the American Commission', whioti has the written. assurance of Germany against interference. The system is satisfactory. - V S FOOD SUPPLIES FOR THE ARMY. V ■ ■■ - -i Wellington, March 1. The Hon. Mr Massey states thgfe the Imperial authorities have handed over the administration of food supplies for the army to the Board ot Trade, and that portion of the subject which relates to. New' Zealand is being considered to-day. It is nulikely, however, that owing • „ to the difference in time,' any information on the subject will reach New Zealand until to-morrow. ~ A WAR TAX INEVITABLE. Christchurch, March 2. , ~ The Hon. James Allen. Minister of Defence, in an interview,' said that a war tax was inevitable. Tbe county ooold not get on without it. .. He believed - the people were, pre- ' pared to bear it. The Customs' revnne fell off £IOO,OOO in January, and they must expect a falling off.?; in railway revenue.

AUSTRALIAN AVIATOR IN THE •- RAID. Received March 2, 10.35 a. m. ■ London, March 1. Plkles, an Australian aviator, partiipated in the Ostend air raid. The Premier, in reply to Mr Penhefatber, said that the British, French and Russian official publications did not leave a donbt in im--partial minds that the responsibility for the war did not zest with Britain. . PRUSSIAN CASUALTIES. Copenhagen, March 1, The Prussian casualty lists total-"' 1,103,213. THE INDISCREET BERNSDORFP New York, March 1. The Times’ Washington correspondent states that Baron Trentler will shortly supersede Count Bernsdorff as the result of the latter’s indiscreet references to Monroisin and threats of a German invasion of ■ / Canada. . FAITHFUL HORSES.

AN INCIDENT OP THE GREAT RETREAT. A Welshman, a driver in the Royal Field Artillery, told the following simple story about bis horses in the war:— “I had driven them lor three years. I tell yon I could talk to them just as lam talking to yon. v - There was not a word I said that ’ they did not understand. And they could answer me—they could, indeed. 1 was never once at a loss to know what they meant. When I was astride one of them—why, I bad < only got to tbink what I wanted him to do ana he would do it witboufi being told. “Early in tbe retreat from Mohs a shell crushed right into the midst of the section with which I was moving. A driver in front of me was blown to bite. My gun was wrecked. 1 was ordered to help with anotber. As I mounted tbe fresh horse to continue the retreat I saw my two horses straggling and :: kicking on the gronnd to free themselves. I could not go back to them. I tell you it hurt me. “Suddenly a French chasseur dashed up to them, out the traces, and set them at liberty. I was, a . . good way ahead by that time, but ? 1 kept looking back at them,, and 1ooaid tell that they saw me directly : they were on their feet. “Those horses followed me for four days. We stopped for' hardly five minutes and 1 could not get back to them. There was no work for them, hut they kept their places in the line like' trained soldiers. They were following me to the very end, and the thought occurred a thousand times, “Whg| do they think of me on anotber horse?’ . Whenever 1 looked they were in the' line, watching me so anxiously and sorrowfully as to make me feelguilty of deserting them. Whenever . the word ‘Halt!’ ran down tbe column I held up my hand to them and they saw it “every time. They stopped instantly. - - “Whether they got anything to ~ eat 1 do not know. I wonder. whether they dropped out from sheer - exhaustion—l hope to Heaven it was not that. At ally rate one morning- - when the retreat was all but over! missed them. I suppose 1 shall never - see them again. That’s' the tort of thing that hurts a soldier in war.”