DEFENCE EXPENDITURE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 125, 13 February 1918, Page 5

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE

THE COMMISSION Evidence in* auckland . WASTE IN RATIONING ALLEGED By Telegraph—Prosß Association. Auoliland, February 12. Tlio Defence Expenditure Commis.'fiiou heard evidence to-day. Colonel G. J. Smith, who is in temporary. command of the Auckland Dis-trict,-in his evidence, complained of the restrictions placcd on commanding officers in releretico to expenditure on small matters Tho president: When you want anything from Headquarters, Wellington, . do you think it comes through in a satisfactory manner from a Tmsiness point of viewf —"It comes through too slowly. Wellington has to deal with ' a great many matters, but if greater responsibility were given to olticcrs in command of districts pressure would he relieved to some extent." In Wellington, Major Sir Robert Walker was tho senior staff officer in the district. His principal duties were_ to superintend the training of territorials and cadets. Other, officers were allowed a good deal of latitude in running their own branch, ar.d ho did not interfere unless he .saw that the.v were .absolutely wrong or they went to him for advice. . The Territorial Force in the district totalled 5782, senior cadets 7G26. and rifle clubs 2264, a total of 15,672. ' The president: Do you think the ' regulations discourago them from 'Using' their initiative P—' do. I ''think centralisation in Wellington .affects this to a considerable extent." The manager of a branch _ business would have to take responsibility for such things.* For instance, there was the matter of temporary increases in ■ the staff during periods of rush. Major Price, adjutant of the district, 'thought that there was a tendency to centralise things too much in Wellington. If greater responsibilities ivnd sums of money were granted to various districts saving would 1 in many cases be effected. A considerable quantity of chaff was required. Everybody knew the market was rising, and if power to purchase had- been given .the district this purchase could have been made ahead, and a considerable ■'saving effected. A saving could be -effected also if tho men rejected as medically unfit were not given the "usual 55., as in many cases they were no doubt receiving wages. _ Tho Department was put to considerable expense in conveying next-of-kin from carious parts of the North Island to , 'Auckland to meet returning men. This he. thought could bn eliminated. ,Jf the boat got in in time the men were sent away the same evening, so that even if next-of-kin wore not brought to Auckland it would only be a matter of 24 hours or so later before they met tho hoys. The percentage of next-of-kin to returning men would be about 50. In reply to Mr. Rhodes, witness 'stated that a man's discharge did not necessarily date from the arrival from Headquarters of his paybook. If the Jiaybook did uqt arrive by that time he would still be discharged. Mr. Rhodes: What does he do in 'the meantime—starve? —''As a rule, he . knows the conditions, and is able to 'make some provision." Does that appear to you quite right. l ' —"No, I do not think it is, hut there tnay be a reason for it." _ Lieutenant Donald William Bodle, 'Garrison Artillery, Assistant Director of Supplies at Narrow Neck Camp from ;'August, 1915, to February, 1917, and Quartermaster of tiie Auckland Garrison' Artillery Division, handed in a statement in ■which he Eiiid that bv personal experience he •'lhad obtained an extensive knowledge :tif waste pertaining to t u c rationing <of troops. At one stage ho requested "the Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport at Auckland to permit him ; "to unitise the monthly supply account '•"for the Narrow Neck depot, including tho cost sheet, in tho place of tho Usual gross returns of goods only. He [pointed out that the Department coaW . then ascertain at a glance which unit was. wasting blie rations issue and 'which was economical. Ho also suggested that a proper ledger account of each unit should he kept at Headquarters, indents being forwarded immediately after tho issue of stores. This, ho believed, would promote good •Control and economy, and would remove temptation to theft, misappropriation, or misuse of stores, while 0110 . staff of clerks would be able to keep all tho ledger accounts of the whole district. His request was Tefused and the suggestion lignored. He accordingly 'obtained permission from tho Acting-Quartermastcr-G-eneral and General Staff Officer at Auckland to unitise his •own supply accounts, and from January to June, 1916, he forwarded returns 'in unit. Ho was ordered to revert to tho old system and did so till relieved of his duties in February, 1917<. He forwarded a complete description of his scheme to the Minister in April, 1917. In answer to the president regarding tho possibility of theft and fraud unVler the old systems of accounts, witness said that butter was drawn at Narrow Ncck in his time at about 5001b. a month below ration scalo allowance. •With the co-operation of any other member of the. quartermaster's staff ■ho could have "got away" with 4001b. of butter per month, if he had clioscn 'to, by "doctoring" tho accounts, and (District Headquarters would never even havo suspected that anything was ■wrong-. Captain William Quayle Kowish, Commanding the Royal New Zealand (Artillery Detachment at _ Auckland, stated that he was responsible for the pay of the men under his command, mid for the supply of equipment and stores. Every article had to be requisitioned from the Ordnanco Department at Wellington, and the requisition passed through innumerable hands, long delays resulting. Ho suggested that the commission should trace the course of 0110 of his requisitions, and set an estimate on the value of the time nf the various persons who handled it. • It might then he possible to compare tho final cost of the article with that of tho same article procured by a civilian in ordinary business. Ho personally had not power to spend a shilling. Even when goods were urgently needed. He instanced a grate bottom costing 45., which took eight or liino days to arrive, 'the delay c?;using considerable wasto of coal. Referring to tho pay, witness stated that soveral homc-servico men tmder his command wished to got out 011 tho ground that thoir families could not live on their pay. These men drew 6s. a day, with Is. a day for wives and nincpence a day for each child. Tlioy were lodged, clothed, and rationed. Tho Tegular R.N.Z.A. men, who drew 7s. a 'day, with house and other allowances, ?ind war bonus, complained that their clothing allowance of 2s. a month in lieu of uniform was inadequate. The sitting was then adjourned, and the commission visited the Colonial Ammunition Company's works.