DEFENCE INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 8

DEFENCE INQUIRY

EXPENDITURE COMMISSION

AUTHORITIES TO EXPEND

MONEY

HEDGED WITH RESTRICTIONS

By Tclcß^aph—Press Association

Christchurch, February 28.

Before the Defence Expenditure Commission to-day Colonel Chaffey, Officer Commanding tho Canterbury Military D ; strict, advocated a- local camp for Second Division reservists for preliminary training. In his opinion tho Defence Department had become so unwieldy that it could not carry on economically. There was a lot of pinpricking. Authorities to spend money veto so hedged round with restrictions that one was often afraid to spend it.

The chairman: Have you a Gorman internment camp , here?

Colonel Chaffey: Yes; at Rina Island.

That camp is actually under you ?— "Yes."

And General Headquarters does not interfere with you in any waj ?—"No."

You are responsible in every way? — "Absolutely. I would uot take it in iuiv other way."

Replying to Mr. Rhodes, the witness fiiiid the training received by Territorials should do away with at least a month or six weeks of their period in tho reinforcement camp, and thereby effect a, considerable Raving. He did not think it a fair thing that the Railway Department should charge practically the full single fare for transporting men. After tho war he would be in favour of one Territorial camp in each Island, in charge of a regular staff. Every man should go into camp for a month for four 'years, and weekly parades be.done away with.

Captain A. R. White, ordnance officer, said he considered the present conditions quite satisfactory, and there was nothing he could suggest to make things run more smoothly.

Major R. S. Matthews, A.Q.M.G., Canterbury Military District, complained that his' chief difficulty was in possessing no authority to spend money. A. request to Headquarters in Wellington for a grant of £2 10s. for water supply at the coming camp in Nelson province mot with a reply from Major Nutsford, containing eight queries. ' The chairman said the amount in dispute would soon run away in witness's time and that of his assistant, find the correspondence of witness and brain-fag.

/Witness went on to say thatan officer had been refused permission tc use bis own, motor-car to cover his own district, and that , the matter of connecting the Drill Hall at Westport with the drainage system had been the subject of correspondence with Headquarters since • August last. Owing'to the iise in the cost of materials the work would now cost £80 more than at first estimated.

In.reply to tho chairman, the witness said he could not account for the delay, unless it was they were so fearfully busy in Wellington that things had been hung up. The chairman: So busy that they take on extra work! The witness went on to say that on his own authority an officer in Blenheim had go , ; the lighting of the Prill Hall attended to, and witness had to write, asking him why he did it on his own authority, though he know perfectly wiill. ' The chairman: So, this system you .regard as pernicious, starting from Headquarters, must- percolate right through ? Witness: Yes. Iu further reply to questions, the witness said that many of the circulars received from Headquartors wero almost a repetition of a previous one, necessitating very often work having to be done all over again by tho district officer. The Commission adjourned till tomorrow.