DEFENCE INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 127, 15 February 1918, Page 5

DEFENCE INQUIRY

- THE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION EVIDENCE OF ARTILLERYMEN By Telegraph-Press Association. • Auckland, February 14. , The Defenco Expenditure Commission resumed to-day. Hugh J. Mulholland, regimental quartermaster, 11.N.Z.A., said that immediately a man joined the R.N.Z.A. he was put on probation for six months, when ho would bo eligible to sit for a second-class examination. If he passed ho would receivo Gd. per da? extra. At tho end of twelvo months lie was allowed to go up for a firstclass examination, which, if he passed, entitled him to an extra shilling per uay. At the end of iivo years, if his good conduct sheet was satisfactory, he received another 3d. per day, and after ten years fid. per day, after 15 years Dd. per day, and after 20 years Is. per day. Under this system, after nvc years a man would bo receiving os. 9d. per day. In addition, ho received an allowance for uniform of 2s. per month. If a man were out of barracks ho received 2s. per day ration allowance, but if he were in barracks ho received his rations. All single men were in barracks. Married men wcro out of barracks. A married man also received £15 per year house allowance in lieu of quarters. Payment was for every day of the week. About 75 per cent, of the irien at present had ten years' Gervice, as all siuglo men had gone to the war. A R.N.Z.A. man had to find his equipment himself on the allowanco of 2s. per month. It cost him about £9 per annum to buy equipment. The ao-e of retirement was 63, or after thirty years' service, when a man had no option. Gregory George Norris, gunner in the R.iYX. A., said he was a married man with'two children, and was in receipt of <s. 3d. per day, 9d. per day lor good conduct, Is. per day proficiency allowanco, 2s. per day ration allowance, 2s. per month uniform allow ance, and also house allowance. At present ho was in charge of the steamer, Lady Roberts, but there was no one to exercise supervision of the stores. As an instance, he mentioned that at tho outbreak of war the boiler broke down, and at that time it could have been repaired for £400, whereas the work was delayed for six months and finally cost £800. Some four months ago lie had applied for .ports, as. they wcro leaking, and ho only received them last week. Because of the delay considerable damage was done. He also wanted a shilling's worth of twine to stop water from coming through the deck. He had applied for this nine months ago, and had not received it yet. He considered that the boat had depreciated £800 more than she should have done because of these delays and restrictions. There was very grave risk' in running the boat as she was. James Baxtor, gunner, attached to the R.N.Z.A. for home service, gave evidence with regard to his pay, whie . he stated was ss. per day, with allowances. He. was marreid, but lived at , the barracks, and was allowed ls.'pci day separation allowance. He considered this insufficient, and thought he should be placed on the same footing ' as the R.N.Z.A.

Captain Smith, district paymaster, ' stated that the system in force was a ? fairly good one, and he did not think it ' needed altering. They were hamper- •' ed, however, by a lack-of proper icj commodation, and this impaired the efficiency of tho staff about 25 per cent. He thought an improvement could he made in soldiers' pay books, and had suggested this about three years ago, but nothing had been don'o. Witness also mentioned anomalies existing in some of the present rates of pay. A sergeant-major on tho permanent staff received Us. per day. If in the Military Police, a private received 13s. 3d. per day, while a Military Police sergeant-major received 15s. 3d. per day. These amounts included allowances.