GOOD WAR WORK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2910, 24 October 1916, Page 9

GOOD WAR WORK

LABOURS OF MILITARY SUPPLIES BOARD OF ADVICE ECONOMIC PATRIOTS (By "Sylvius.") ■ New Zealand has many worthy helpers within her borders, as tho camps, the subscription liists, and tho various helpful institutions connected with war and hospital work show, hut thero is one body of honorary workers, which does a great deal of extremely valuable work for the country, of which tho public hears little'or nothing. This is tho Military Supplies Board of Advice, n hoard of experienced business men who are .constituted such simply to advise _ the Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies (the Hon. Arthur M. Myers). What the setting up of this board has meant to the country will probably-not be told until after the war, but a measure of credit is due to these gentlemen, whose duty it is to advise the Minister as to the* best means' of purchasing anything which is needed for military purposes within New Zealand,

Tho board, which consists of Messrs. A. H. Miles, Alexander Macintosh, and Georgo Wilson, were approached by the Government individually to undertake tho advisory work mentioned, aud each' one, without knowing about the others at all, stipulated: that ho would undertake the work on one condition only —that thero should, be no payment for services rendered.

Tho hoard was called into existence at a time -when such services as it renders were badly needed. About the middle of last year an appeal was made for an increased number of men, and thero; was a difficulty anticipated not only in getting them, but in equipping them. Many thousands moro uniforms and a lot more underclothing were wanted within a limited time, and tho prevailing shortage of wool mado the problem a difficult one for a time. That was one of the jobs tho board ha'd to advise on when it was appointed on August 19, 1915, and it is now well enough known that the crisis was got over in. a manner that reflected, credit on all concerned. Thereafter absolutely, no. buying was done for the military authorities without''the. control of the Minister or the advice of the hoard. The modus operandi is that heads of the various departments requisition the Minister of Supplies for their needs, and the Minister refers the requisition to the board, which, after careful consideration, advises tho Minister as to the manner it believes the articles should bo purchased. It is at the Minister's option entirely to accept or reject that advice. Complete confidence prevails between the Minister and the Supplies Board of Advice. Acting on the advico, tho word is passed on to the executive officer (Mr. A. M. Adams), and tho goods, whatever they may be, are purchased us directed.

It is on record that the members of the Military Supplies Board of-Advice met daily for the first five months after they were constituted, and during that time had to wrestle with some fairly intricate problems, which must have given Government servants a lot of trouble, for thero were times when largo orders would come down suddenly for stuff wanted almost immediately, and they had to know practically the resources of tho wholo of the Dominion to meet such sudden demands. Many instances might bo quoted of the economies effected for tho Government by the board. Tho price of butter is a question uppermost in most people's minds.at present. A great deal of butter is consumed in camp and on tho transports, but the Government has not been paying' tho high market rates, for early in the present year tho hoard advised the Minister to make provision for the winter supply of butter to tho camps and troopships, and that was done. The result is that during the winter tho soldiers got the best of butter at a cheap price (to the Government). Tho same policy was carried out in regard to sugar and cheese. It will be recognised that at. times sudden orders came to hand and had to he dealt with at once. One such case was an order from tho Imperial Government to buy 127,000 sacks of oats—a nico littlo order to execute without "hulling" tho market, hut it was done very quietly and effectively, and thereby it is calculated that tho Imperial Government was saved somo £10,000.

All the executive officers havo to do is to carry out the Minister's instructions, and so far these have been so well directed that no mistakes have been made. The combination of Minister and board is a very happy one. Tho members aro earnest and conscientious in the performance of their duties and they are all determined to see the thing right through.

It should bo explained that there are. various branches of tho Defence Service which requisition for goods. These are the Defence Stores (goods not consumable) at Buckle Street, where the clothes for tho men are kept, from the socks and boots on their feet to the caps on their heads; the Army Service Corps (which controls consumable goods for man and beast, foodstuffs for soldiers and fodder for the horses, motor fluids, and vehicles for land transport); the Medical Corps (drugs, stretchers, ambulances, instruments,' etc.), and the •, Dental Corps (drugs and requisites). The board itself has no executive functions, but its advice is invaluable. Further, it may call in other known experts to help it- in its deliberations on any problem connected with supplies, which expert advice is always tendered gratis. In tho matter of soft goods," the official experts aro Messrs. J. L. Morison and Sidney Kirkcaldie, both of whom-havo given the Minister extremely valuable advice. From tho foregoing it will be gathered that tho Dominion, the Government, and the Minister of Supplies aro singularly fortunate in having at their command such shrewd and experienced business men, who only consider that they are "doing their bit" in so acting.