The Hastings Standard Published Daily. MONDAY, FEB. 15, 1897. AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE.

Hastings Standard, Issue 247, 15 February 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

MONDAY, FEB. 15, 1897. AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE.

For the cause that lacks ' ssistancc. For tac hat need resistance, Fur the future in the distance. And the good that we can do.

The Defence Department appears to have arrive! at a .singular and expensive decision. About 20 men of the torpedo corps now stationed in Auckland arc to be transferred to Wellington, whiles a similar number will leave the Empire City for the Northern capital. This seemingly innocent transaction will involve the country in an expenditure amounting to about l'2oo, while tin* inconvenience and e\peiw to the men, particularly those that are married and haw families can be well imagined. What is the reason for this wholesale movement? Surely it is not warranted or demanded by the exigencies of the colony's defence ! There iii.i-t be some motive, for U is the popular supjK)>it!on that the anthorit. -iet u ith r« a -,.n. No doubt there is reason for shifting one set of men to Ate kl.md from Wellimrton, and bringing another set from Auckland i>» \\<!lington, and we are tempted to a -k, is it beca'l-w there arc traces of incipient insubordination! Ar« the I'llio r< and men at variance ) Has favoritism and partiality undermined tbu biact rules o! discipline ?

There must be some such reason otherwise we can see no justification for the latest move of the Defence Department.