ROYAL AIR FORCE WASTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 229, 22 June 1921, Page 7

ROYAL AIR FORCE WASTE

LOSS BY THEFT AND FRAUD. Strong criticisms aro contained in the report of tho Comptroller end AuditorGeneral on the appropriation account of the receipt and expenditure for the British Air Services for the year ended March 31, 1920.

Balances irrecoverable nnd claims abandoned for the year amount in all to £414,828. Losses due to theft, fraud, arson, or gross nogligenco represent approximately £73,454 of this amount. Included under Iho latter heading is tho thoft of a Crossley tender, value £450, nt Charleroi, whore it had taken a con-

cort party. Toes of tools nn.d equipment due to a mutiny of a number of men, who invaded the transport yard and removed tho fools and equipment, to prevent the use of fho transport, accounts for another £165. While the driver of a Crossley touring car, worth .£B2O, wae having his tea at Brussels, the car disarm ared, nnd hnd not been traced. Tho destruction of nn aeroplane taken up by an officer escaping from arrest is responsible for tho loss of -€lO5O. Ho wvas sub.-oouently rcarrested. tried by courtmartini, nnd sentenced. Though an orderly officer wns informed thnt a number of machines were moving in the wind, ho took no action, and filo, result was that tho mnehfnos and hangars worn damaged io tho extent of £38.61.3. Tho officer was tried by court-martial, hut owing to a technical flnw in the convening of the Court the finding wns nullified.

'Gross expenditure to the extent of £56.035.950 was provided for in the Afr Estimates, end tho actual exponditnrs amounted to £56,614,616, being more than tho estimate by ,£578,606.