WAR INDEMNITY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1674, 26 June 1919, Page 5

WAR INDEMNITY.

SHARES OF DOMINIONS. NO ANNOUNCEMENT YET. [Special to The Sun.l WELLINGTON, June 25. No official announcement has yet been made concerning the share of the British Dominions in the German war indemnity. The first instalment of the indemnity is to he paid soon alter the signing of the Peace Treaty, but it is possible that this money will be applied to urgent works of restoration, and that payments to the Dominion will come later.

The question has a bearing upon Ihe course of New Zealand finance during the next year or two. Some weeks ago a reportTrom Paris slated that immediately after the Germans had signed the Peace Treaty an Imperial Conference would be held in London, when any adjustment of the claims of Britain, the Dominions and India would be made and the method of payment decided upon. It was suggested that the method of payment might not depend upon the period fixed for Ihe payments _ by Germany. Some of Ihe Dominions might he "glad to accept a lump sum from the Mother Country in total settlement." " The same report slated thai other subjects of discussion al the Imperial Conference would be the inter-Imperial payment of war pensions, and some questions connected with the former German colonies. The value of ihe colonies to the mandatory Slates would, il was understood, be placed against the reparation claim of Ihe State receiving the mandatory.