A White Paper issued at the end of last week
by the Irish Provisional Government gives their estimates of expenditure for the current year. These amount to f37,750,000. In asking Parliament to pass a vote for 118,953,000 on account of this expenditure, Mr. Cosgrave calculated that the additional liabilities which were not included in these estimates would bring up his Budget to a little short of forty millions sterling. The chief items in these estimates are ten millions on account of claims for compensation in respect of damage done before and after the truce ; seven millions for the Free State ,Army ; one and a-quarter millions for the Civic Guard, Dublin Police and Secret Service ; over three millions for Old-Age Pensions ; nearly four millions for Education ; and nearly three millions for the Post Office. It will be interesting to see how this money is to be raised. It is understood that the income-tax notices which have lately been sent out on green paper have not been received with enthusiasm, though it remains to be seen if gunmen will make efficient collectors.
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