'The Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, replying to a question in the House of Commons as to the manner in which the Dominions were expanding their defence forces, said that, with regard to Canada,' he understood that defence expenditure in 1034/35 showed an increase of over $2,500,000 as compared with the expenditure in previous years and that this expenditure was being generally maintained in the current year with further increase for the air force, The Australian Government was at present engaged in carrying out fa three-year programme of defence expansion which was due to be completed at the end of the financial year 1926-1937, The total cost was Understood to be in the region of Australian £20,000,000.
'A new government had recently taken office in New Zealand, From speeches which had been reported, it would appear that the Ministers there were carefully examining the defence position, but there was no indication yet of what concrete proposals they may make.
Proposals for strengthening the defences of South Africa had recently 'Asked whether any of the expanditure was for naval armaments, Mr. 'MacDonald replied that, in the' case of Australia, the main provision was for naval' expenditure—Wireless through Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.