NEW ZEALAND DREADNOUGHT

West Coast Times, 22 March 1910, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND DREADNOUGHT

TOTAL COST OF VESSEL £1,800,000. WELLINGTON, March 20. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) stated that the price of the contract for the New Zealand Dreadnought which provides for the use of Yarrow boilers, is £852,990. Authority has been given for an additional £21,000 to cover the cost of the substitution of Babcock boilers, if the Admiralty consider the step advisable. In addition to the contract price given, a further sum of £22,000 for certain auxiliary machinery that the Admiralty has provided for has to be paid the contractors Apart from the requisite guns, which are to be provided by one of the large gun manufacturing firms, the vessel will thus cost as follows: With Yarrow boilers £874,900: with Babcock boilers, £895,900. The contract time is 24 months.

“The, High Commissioner advises,” adds Sir Joseph, “that including the hull, machinery, gnus and ammunition for 12 months, the total cost of the vessel will not exceed £1,800,000. So that from our point of view the arrangement is exceedingly satisfactory, as it is £200,000 below the estimated cost for which amount authority of Parliament was given.”