DEFENCE AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 191, 2 May 1918, Page 6

DEFENCE AFFAIRS

PAY AND ALLOTMENTS SUGGESTIONS FOR AN AMENDED . SYSTEM WORK OF POST OFFICE The Defence Expenditure Commission resumed the hearing of evidence yesterday. Brigadier-General Sir Robert, Anderson presided, and Mr. Charles Rhodes sat with him. George Charles Rodda, officer in charge of War Expenses rQ.M.G. 4) Branch, said that in civil life he had been an officer of the Treasury Department, and he had no experience in military matters. Military rank had been conferred upon tho Director of Financial Services when the Army l'av Department was established in June, mi. No uffer of military rank was officially made to witness, and for his own reasons he did not ask for rank. After nearly three years' control of Q.M.G.' 4 Branch, he naturally resented other control being established, especially when the whole work of organisation had fallen on him and his principnl clerks without assistance from the Director of Financial .Services. Moreover, as tho rank of tho Staff Paymaster abroad, who received his instructions from Q.M.G. 4, was that of lieutenant-colonel, it did not appear expedient to receive any lower rank- „ , ~ Pay Details. Ho had nothing lo do with soldiers after thev had been discharged, beyond payin" for their maintenance in pubho hospitals if they were being treated there. If payments had to bo made to depend-/ ants of discharged men, this was a mat-' ter f or the Pensions Department, iensinns were dated back to tho time tho pay of a soldier ceased, but as allotments could bo continued for 20 weeks after

the death of a soldier, pensions to dependants were dated from the time that allotments ceased. So far as he was aware, patriotic societies were not reimbursed for maintain!"!,' soldiers or their dependants during the period between stoppage of pay and hxmg of tho pension. He had heard of instances of patriotic societies being exploited by persons in receipt cf allotments, but awaiting pensions. He considered that tho paybook in use was all right provided it was kept properly. Trouble occurred because certain special entries were not made in pay-books in the field. The aim had been to conform (o the Imperial paybook. He did not consider that payment every calendar month was unsatisfactory to allottees-payment for the number of days in every month. It would be very difficult to get the warrants out for tortnightly payments to allottees, particularly in the first fortnight after a man went into camp. There was no doubt that allottees would appreciate payments every fortnight, but owing to the increased cost iio was not prepared to recommend it. Clerical labour must at this time be reduced to a minimum. If allotments were paid fortnightly tho same people would expect their pensions paid fortnik'litly. , , ~ , ~ ~ Tho chairman suggested that it would be easier to pay in 28-day or U-day periods. Ho said, however, that the branch had "doue a great work, and dons it well." ■ , Mr. Rodda said that he preferred tho twelvo payments varying with the number of days in different months.

The Pay Book; Major H. M. Griffin, Director of Financial Services, said that ho had held liis position since November, 19U, and he had been employed on military accounts since 1900. He said that Mr. Rodda had never asked lor military rank, nor was it necessary that ho should have it, being a Civil Servant on loan to the Defence Department for duties which were primarily of a civil character. Witness was responsible for the Army Pay Branch (Q.M.G. t) administered by Mr. Eodda. Witness had never l)e given the chance of doi;ig the work now done by Mr Rodda. There had been a conference of district paymasters in 1915, and many of tho suggestions made had been adopted. It was a highly satisfactory conference. _ It would'be productive of good if periodical'conferences could be held, but owing to enlistments there wro no subordinates in district pay offices capable of carrying on for a week. He considered that the pay book at present in use served the purpose for which it was intended, i.0., the registering, of debits only. If such pay book was properly kept mistakes should not oecr.r, and the amount of work involved in making up and checking it should be infinitesimal. The chairman did not agree with this proposition. Witness said that tho Australian pay book showed more readily the debit or credit balance, but he would like to know more of the extra work which must bo entailed if the Australian pattern was to be adopted before venturing to express a definite opinion. The Post and Telegraph Department did not give reductions, and refused to give reductions in the charges for telegrams sent on war service. Ho agreed that it would lie a boon to the people if allotments were paid fortnightly after the Australian method. He thought that the Post Office ought to be able to do such extra work as was required.

Witness said Hint ,6285 Us. was al-1 lowed to Colonel Gibbon for the upkeep of his motor-car. Free issues of benzine wore given to certain other officers as follow for the six month? from October,!, IM7, to March 31, 1918-.-Colonel Purely, Director of Medical Services, 188 i gallons; Colonel Totter, 252 gallons; Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. D. Leahy, 141 gallons; Colonel Adams, 2-IS gallons; Major Kewcombo, 10 gallons; Captain Jamieson, 52 gallons; Captain Woolley, 111 gallons; Lieutenant Clarke, 8 gallons. The Pott Office. 11. A. fluggins, Chief .Accountant of the Post and Telegraph Department, gave evidence. Ho said that :he Department was not making money, a.* might be supposed, out of the circulation of casiialty lists and war news. Tip' work did not belong to the Post and Telegraph Department, and if was fair that somebody should pay for it. The rate allowed was the Press rate of Is. per hundred words. Up to Jiarc-'n 31 last the amount dun and since paid was £123,000.• The fact was that llio Department did this work at a los?; it was not blot-ding the Defence Department for money. The Department did not wish to ' irculaie the casualty lists as news by telegraph. The next-of-kin was always advised by private telegrams of every casualty effecting the soldier, and the Department believed that the lists could be circulated as news lo the newspapers by post., The Department had no desire to ove-lnad ll.e wires, and for this reason the present system (bv which only the district lists avo circulated to ofti'-es in that district) had been suggested by the Department. This t had effected a big saving already. In i March the Post and Tthgranli Depart- | ment debited the Defence Department I with JMOS in vespect cf casualty lists: ) under the old system the amount would I have been i'.lMll. In April the Post and ' Telegraph Department charged ,(.'llß2, j whereas on the eld scale .he charge (would have been I'M.TflO. Messages seal I by Ministers lo nexf-ot-kin of uen killed w'ero dealt with free oi charge. Witness Lilies-ted that the Defence Department wnlild be wise not to discontinue the I sending out of war news. There was' ! duplication in the centre but in out-oi-h he-way places when, there were no ! newspapers, the summaries cf war news ! were eagerly locked for, and were seani nod with intovest. It "vbr no business of ■ the Department, but witness thought there was more nnul I'm- Die tonfiminm-i; of ihe sending cut of war- icws than ol casualty Ms's. A Good Record, M the outbreak of war tho Deport ment decided not to appeal for ai ,y me.iib;-:-of the staff, and';.t once set to work to train women and mr'.s to rep.aee men. 'Bv Ibis means it hail, been ),. ; .-'siblo lo I maintain pre-war «ir inessenLers had been, cmnloyed, and tliej had 1 been a success. Now, with tbe calling I up of the Second Division, some curtailment of facilities would be necessary The hours of business and tbe number of deliveries of letters voul'l ha.'e l<> be reduced. The Department might have lo ask othor Departments to relieve pres-

sure by retraining from sending so many or so long tele*i\inis, and by using the mails when possible. The Dcparlnicut would adhere- to ils policy of not .appealing for reservists called \ p, with tho exception of wireless operators, who were always appealed for by direction of tho Homo authorities. Only a -.cry few indispensable men weu'd be appealed for in future. Up till now !c"* than half « dozen officers had been appealed for. The chairman: 1 thick iliac is a record. , , Witness: "And I think cf the malo staff we had in 1914 about 50 per cent, havo left us for the front or for camp. Ho explained the relations of his Department with the Defence Department, saying that they were good By co-oper-. otion it had ten possibe 'or tho two Departments to help each other, especially in regard to soldwrs .abroad operating their Post ('.'fine 'Savings Banks actoimts. , _, ,„, „ The chairman expressed oHmpleto, approval of this co-operation as explained by witness. •

Paying Allotments. Witness went on to discuss'the sngges. tions made for amendment ill the manner of paving allotments. He said that ho IhoiFht the division of payments into twelve equal payments in the year-overy calendar month-or into thirteen equal payments—every lunar month—would be possible and advisable. Some form of warrant would have to be sent out to allottees, because the paying officer of tho Postal Department would havo to tako a receipt for money. Experience showed that the charge of 3d. per payment just about paid tho Department. In all the war there had lieen only three losses, and nil of them were in connection with soldiers' pay, the pay-book being produced. In no case was the loss due to fault in the system, but to the fault of the paying officer. In oue case the ollicci- was imposed upon with a plausible talo 1 , and he paid on an irregular signature, and tho other Iwo payments wore made on forged warrants, both forged by the samo person. Personally ho would have no objection to tho adoption of tho old-age pensions system for the payment of allotments. Ho thought it would bo belter to make tho payments m twelve equal monthly payments for the year. This would lie preferable from tho Post Oinco point of view to thirteen four-weekly paynients. _ . Work en Transports.

Captain J. B. Rainier, marine superintendent of the C. and D. Lino, gave evidence abofit the fitting up of transports. Two C. and D. ships were in the Main Body flcot, unci ho was closely associated with the work of fitting cut thoso ships Ho put on a clerk of works to check time worked. There was no exact check on material such as timber, but it was watched closely, and no timber was taken off the ships after being once put on board. There was some check on materials, however, and in any case the firms he employed were known and trustworthy. Time was carefully checked. No quantity surveyor was aninloyed afterwards to check materials used owing to tho fact that the ships were' required in such extreme haste. Closo checks were not possible, but the utmost caro was takon by ensuring that there was adequate supervision. In tho of later ships exact checks were possible, and "quantity surveys were inado. Ho 'believed that the shipping companies and their staffs had worked very hard and had done their best for the country in the early ftages of tho war and oveisince then. The Commission resumes to-day at n a.m.