17

A.—4

NEW ZEALAND.

Tabulating the figures from Volume 111 the financial results are : —

The actual expenditures shown in column 4 correspond to the following percentages :— United Kingdom .. 74-0 ] Australia .. .. 21-2 lOf the actual annual expenditure. New Zealand. . .. 4-8 j 100-0 Note.—lt will be seen that the percentages thus work out in fair agreement with those given in Table IV ; but as the figures for depreciation can only be approximate, depending, as they do, on the cost of new ships, it is impossible to obtain accurate results. 25. It must be recognized that the political and strategic situation may at any time necessitate alteration in the composition of the Far Eastern Fleet. Any considerable alteration might completely alter the basis on which the contributions of the various Dominions and of the United Kingdom have been assessed. There is, however, no way out of this difficulty other than that of reviewing the question at intervals of, say, five years. Unless some basis is assumed it is impossible for the Dominions to find any system on which to work.

3—A. 4.

Ships, &c. Annual Cost of Maintenance and Depreciation (each), (soo Table V, page 21). Total. 3 light cruisers. . 6 submarines 1 submarine parent (small) Naval Air School* £ 211,300 33,200 58,500 33,000 £ 211,300 33,200 58,500 33,000 £ 633,900 199,200 58,500 33,000 £ 633, i 199,! 58,1 33,( Total £924, ( £924,600 * Vide Chapter II, Volume II.

Country. Share. Annual Total . , , . , ■ based on Far A £ tual An f nual j Eastern Fleet in Expenditure Full Commission. allotted ' Balance or Deficit. United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Per Cent. 75 20 5 £ 14,778,525 3,940,940 985,235 £ 14,066,800 4,024,600 924,600 £ +711,725 - 83,660 - 6,365 19,016,000 621,700 + 621,700 £19,637,700