Consideration was given to a memorandum dated 8th February, 1946, submitted by the Minister for Finance, relative to the relief of distress in Europe.¹ It was decided that the supplies to be made available under the Government Relief Scheme should be paid for solely out of public funds. It was agreed that provision should be made for the expenditure of an additional £1,500,000 in 1946-47 and that the additional provision should include the value of the surplus Government stores set out in Schedule 3 attached to the memorandum, the cost of these stores being recovered from the additional provision and brought to credit of the appropriate Votes.

A decision as to the allocation of the relief supplies was deferred pending further consideration and re-submission to the Government by the Minister for External Affairs.