The Wanganui Chronicle TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1941. THE WAR EXPENSES ACCOUNT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 188, 12 August 1941, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1941. THE WAR EXPENSES ACCOUNT

r yilE War Expenses Account is one of the most important of the public accounts, and unless it is to be the subject of investigation and criticism no very helpful assessment can be made of the Government's conduct of the war effort. In the first place investigation and criticism appear to be called for. especially as the Auditor-General has reported adversely concerning the accounting system. The auditors cannot be satisfied that supplies which are not now in hand have been issued to troops. It is not suggested that those in charge of stores have been guilty of sending Government supplies to other than legitimate recipients, but the position is still decidedly unsatisfactory because it is possible to place unhappy constructions upon such a state of affairs.

The Government is correct in making certain that by debating the War Expenses Account information which might be of assistance to the enemy should not leak out. It can be assumed that the Opposition is equally desirous of avoiding such a result and would willingly conduct the debate with a view to only those subjects which it is permissible to discuss being given consideration. For instance, it would be interesting to know what ordinary service uniforms are now costing as compared with two years and with five years ago. and whether some of the uniforms should not come a little nearer to fitting the man who wears them. In Germany, before the war, Dr. Brinkman, in a speech delivered in February. 1939, reviewed the internal situation of the Reich. In the course of that speech lie said:— “Our blast furnaces have been pushed to 94.6 per cent, of their maximum production—a condition which cannot be maintained. East year our steel production attained 1,900.009 tons per month, but on the side of consumption the figure was 3,400.000 tons. 'Thanks to the dowry of 700 million r.m. which our Austrian fiancee lias brought us. and which by now is all gone, this was possible. . . . Our available resources in raw materials are inferior in quality. . . .

“Xor is there any relief to be found through the importation of raw materials. Our stock of foreign exchange is exhausted. Our imports this year have readied a. volume approximately double our exports. How can we do this when the imported raw materials are mainly used lor armameuls rallur than in producing goods for export

“As a result <>l excessive and 100 rapid (Oiistiiitplion oil raw niaterials, the quality of our output, has deteriorated. We are paying as much lor one gun as under normal eoudilions we. should pay for leu. and in addition the gun is of worse quality, as lias been proved beyond doubt.’’ The statement of Dr. Brinkman was interesting then, because it revealed that Germany was set upon a course which led inevitably either to a war for plunder or Io bankruptcy. I he war was by this li/ine practically inevitable, but what: was done in Xew Zealand Io anticipate the run of events’ It would inded be dangerous to say. and to that extent no debate at this juncture would be desirable on that particular subject. But what has been the cost of the war equipment which has been obtained’ Has it gone up proportionately or disproportionately:’ Il would be no very difficult task for an economist or an industrialist in Germany to-day to work out fairly accurately the industrial war potential of this Dominionn. Most probably this lias already been done, so there is no need to conduct a purposeless “hush hush’’ policy' on production capacity. It is surprising that the accountancy’ of the Army has broken down in the way that it has. because a proper accounting section would have been Hie easiest staff to organise and to enlarge as need arose. Even though there was some difficulty in the initial stages of the war effort, it does appear that there has been an inadequate planning and supervision of the organisation as a whole. Are these appearances in accord with the truth or are they deceptive? If there has been inefficiency' in high places, are the same inefficient.s still in authority, or have they been removed? Again, it has never been made clear who was responsible for that Dominion-wide and colossal blunder which was inflicted on a docile and long-suffering public when ’ motor vehicles were impressed. How many vehicles were eventually impressed, and what percentage of those summoned for inspection were taken over? Finally, what use is now being made of the impressed vehicles? All of these and similar matters could me profitably discussed in Parliament, and whatever the answers if would do more good to the Dominion war effort Ilian a “hush hush’’ policy. If. however, the Government still feels it to be undesirable to permit of a public discussion, the matters arising out of the War Expenses Account could bo dealt with by Parliament in a secret session, and failing that procedure commending itself, then the Government should appoint a. Commission to review its conduct of the war effort in the same way as was done during the last war.