DEFENCE FORCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 107, 7 May 1936, Page 7

DEFENCE FORCES

DOMINIONS’ PLANS EXPANSION EXPENDITURE QUESTIONS IN COMMONS [ British Official Wireless. ] RUGBY, May 5. The Dominion Secretary, Air. Alalcolni AlacDonald, replying to a question in the House of Commons as to the manner in which the Dominions were expanding their defence forces, said that with regard to Canada he understood the defence expenditure in .1934-35 showed an increase of over 2,500,000 dollars as compared with the expenditure in previous years, ano that this expenditure was being generally maintained in the current year, with some further increase for the Aii Force. The Australian Government was al present engaged in carrying out u three years’ programme of defence ex pansion which was due to be complete! at the end of the financial year 1936-37. The total cost was understood to be in tho region of 20,000,000 A'is tralian pounds. A new Goxernment had recently taken office in Zealand. From speeches which had i?cen reported i: would appear that Ministers there were carefully examining the defence position, but there was no indication yet of what concrete proposals thejmight make. Proposals for strengthening the defences of .South Africa had recently been announced by the Minister oi Defence. Asked whether any of the expen L ture was for naval armaments, Mr. AladDonald replied that in the case of Australia the main provision was fo.'naval expenditure, and in the case of South Africa he understood that the greater part of the expenditure wa.for Air Force expansion.