LEAGUE OF NATIONS COST

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1933, Page 6

LEAGUE OF NATIONS COST

BURDEN ON NEW ZEALAND. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The opinion that New Zealand’s expenses in connection with the League of Nations were too heavy was expressed by Mr. W. J. Polson (Co., Stratford) in the House of Representatives to-day when the vote for the Prime Minister’s Department was being discussed. He said the annual contribution towards the expenses of the secretariat was £lB,OOO, and in addition £6OO had been expended last year on the expenses of the New Zealand delegates at the Disarmament conference and £750 on expenses of the delegate to Geneva. These amounts were too big for a country the size of New Zealand. They would probably not be grudged if results were being achieved. Mr. Fraser expressed the opinion that Geneva was the only hope for the world at present. Mr. Forbes said New Zealand had made representations to see whether her contribution could be reduced, and it was hoped she might get some reduction in the future. He pointed out that one difficulty was that there were a number of nations who had defaulted in’ their contributions. Any British country once it had given its word would pay in full.