MUNITIONS WASTE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1920, Page 12

MUNITIONS WASTE

CONDEMNED BY EXPERTS. The third report of the Committee of Public Accounts gives the following [figures for the gross expenditure of the Ministry of Munitions: 1915-10 £224,309,500 11)16-17 £.".22,431,000 1917-18 £872,105,000 The report states that in the circumstances in which the Ministry was formed tiic paramount need for the supply of material, primarily guns and shells, dominated the situation, and it is clear that the Ministry, more particularly in the early period, worked in watertight compartments and had no general contract policy or system of co-ordination, and that the financial aspect of contract questions was not sufficiently borne in mind. The enntenn accounts show a net loss of 5155,07(5, part of which is attributed to a deliberate policy to provide cheap meals below cost price at explosive and filling factories, to minimise poisoning risks and to maintain a good standard of health. The expenses of the Ministry, the Committee find, are swelled by delay in making claims against manufacturers and by large advances, repayable over a number of years which were made to certain firms manufacturing aeronautical supplies. On the conclusion of the armistice prompt, action was taken by the Ministry to liquidate contracts, and on March 31, 1919, 99 per cent, of the production had ceased, at a saving, roughly, of £60,000.000. while the heacfquarters staff of the M inistry, which on November 11, IMS, numbered 25,144, had been reduced on Ap ril 1, 1019, to JfllOl.

Largo sums have been realised by the Disposal Board established under the Ministry, part of which are credited to appropriation in aid, £7<5,O00,0()() being provided under this head in the Ministry of Munitions' estimate fr~ 1!)19-1S)20, the balance being paid direct into the Exchequer as extra receipts, without any clear distinction as to the apportionment between the two.