BRITISH NAVY.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17963, 7 March 1930, Page 7

BRITISH NAVY.

SUBMISSION OF ESTIMATES.

LARGE REDUCTION IN VOTE.

STATEMENT BY FIRST LORD.

(Offlctal Wireless.) (Received March 7, 11.30 a.m.)

RUGBY, March 6.

The Navy Estimates, published today, show a considerable reduction. In a statement accompanying the estimates, the First Lord (Right Hon. G. V. Alexander) says the substantial decrease in the total estimates is due mainly to the reduction which the Government have felt justified in making in the shipbuilding programmes of 1928 and 1929. As to future shipbuilding, the Government has decided not to formulate any proposals until the results of the Naval Conference are known and fully considered. No provision is included, therefore, in the estimates for commencing any further new construction in 1930. As soon as the Government are in the position to inform Parliament of their intentions a statement will be made on the subject, and if necessary a supplementary estimate will be presented. Mr Alexander points nut that reductions have only been rendered possible by operating on every branch of the service with the object of curtail-r ing expenditure. Of causes operating in the contrary sense he mentions the Singapore base main engineering contract. Although no new commitments are being entered into pending the results of the Naval Conference, it has been found that it would not be economical to retard work contracted for, and in accordance with the terms of the contract considerably larger payments will have to be made in 1930 than in the current year. SMALLER EXPENDITURE. CURTAILMENT OF BUILDING. REDUCTION OF PERSONNEL. United Press assn.—Elec. Tel.—Copyright. (Received March 7, 12.1 p-m.) LONDON, March 6. The Naval Estimates total £51,739,000, showing a reduction of £4,126,000 on last year’s. The First Lord's memorandum says this was due to reductions the Government felt justified in making. Two 10,000-ton cruisers, two submarines, anil one . depot ship were cancelled from the 1928 programme, and 12 vessels were cancelled from the 1929 programme, comprising two 10,000-ton cruisers, four destroyers, three submarines, two sloops, and one net layer. An additional decision as to whether the three remaining submarines in the 1929 programme will be built has been deferred pending the results of the Naval Conference. Moreover, the Government is not formulating its proposed shipbuilding programme until after the Naval Conference proposals have been forwarded reducing the personnel to 97,050 officers and men by April 1, and it is expected that a further reduction to 94,000 will be made by\April 1, 1931. -