ARMY WASTE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 263, 5 August 1942, Page 4

ARMY WASTE

Mr. Holland Finds Little That he had found only two cases of waste since he took over his duties was stated by the Minister of War Expenditure, Mr. Holland, in an interview in Christchurch. "I have made it my business to investigate possibilities of waste and, taken by and large, the waste in military camps is very small,” he said. "I have made it my duty to look into every garbage tin and to keep my eyes open in every camp I have visited and i l have found only two cases of waste. They were both examples of sheer, utter waste, and action will be taken.” Comment'had 'been made by some sections of the public, said Mr. Holland, on the question of meals for officers and men, the belief being that differential treatment was given officers. “The officers at the camps I visited in Canterbury today had the same meals as the men,” he commented. “At one camp, the officers had for dinner roast beef, potatoes, aud custard (there was no choice of meat) and apple pie and custard. The same meal was given to the men. I experienced the same thing at lunch. The menu was fish, aud bread and cheese for both the officers and men. Everything was nicely served, .but nothing was pretentious. Apparently, the officers are living ou the same rations as the men.” The discipline in every camp was excellent, the Minister said, and the standard of health in the camps was very high; he had seen a great many men and, though he did not want ,to over-emphasize the point, the more he saw of the unit commanders the more he believed that their main concern was for the well-being of their men.

“I met today the finest group of officers, many of them young, that any I>erson "could ever wish to meet,” said Mr. Holland. “They live for their men.”