THE BRITISH BUDGET.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17077, 14 April 1927, Page 8

THE BRITISH BUDGET.

TKIRI EDITION

MR CHURCHILL'S REPLY. CLOSE OP THE DEBATE: (Received April 14, 1.55 p.m.) LONDON, April 13. Mr Winston Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer, replying in the House of Commons to the criticism of the Budget, claimed that the discussion showed almost unanimous approval of tne financial proposals for the year, though the 1925 Budget, which was full of good things, had resulted in his being almost hounded out of public life. The present cost of the Central Government was only £157,000,000 put of £818,000,000, the same services would have cost £96,000,000 before the war. Making ajlowanccs for the value of money, they were costing 10 per. cent, less than before the war. (Ministerial cheers.) Members talked of economy, but when there was any specific proposal they criticised it in a tone of unwonted asperity. The size of the army was not excessive in view of the needs of the Empire, and before there was a large reduction, in the navy the country must decide whether to abandon the one-power standard. There were three great naval Powers in the world, but fortunately they lived in opposite corners of the earth. If there were no great upheavals, the trading results of the year must be incomparably better than lasL year, and he would get the benefits of the results concentrated in the income tax. The debate has closed.