REPARATION MONEY.

Wairarapa Age, 20 January 1922, Page 2

REPARATION MONEY.

EW ZEALAND'S SHABE.

Th. Prime Minister is not very hopeful of obtaining, more than a part of the reparations money owed by Germany to this country. He expressed this opinion to the House while the Imprest Bill was under consideration.

Mr Massey first referred to the war expenses account. He said the Government had never been able to overtake this account, though he had thought at first that there would be a surplus in it to transfer to the Consolidated Fund. That wa.* not going to be the case. So far as he could judge, it would require £1,000,000 in addition to the amount mentioned in the account some 12 or IS months ago to make up the deficiency. It would take the whole of the £500,000 odd that was coming from Germany in payment for the maintenance of the New Zealand troops there, and it would take even more. A member: When shall we get any indemnity from Germany?

Mr Massey: I am very doubtful about getting anything from the German reparation account during the present year.

Another member: Do you think we shall get it at all? Mr Massey: “I think we shall get some.” The Prime Minister added that he had never felt very .sure of getting the whole of the money. One could hardly read the cablegrams in the newspapers day after .day without concluding that there was very lit?tle grhanco of getting the whole amount. Mr Wilford: You sang a different tune a little while ago. 3-Er Massey replied that circumstances changed from day to day. He did not wish to be unduly optimistic. He had never been optimistic about the German reparations. He had said on several occasions that he believed this country would receive some £lO - 000,000. ’

Mr Wilford: £12,001.1,000 you said Mr Massey said he Would not die-put-e that. Members knew that while m England the arrangement was made that the net liability of Germany to New Zealand should be £26,000,000, spread over, he. thought-, 37 years He knew that New Zealand would get some of the money. Mr R McCallum : Take £5,000,000 cash.

Mr Maissey (smilingl: No. I will takx ten shillings in the pound.