MILITARY WASTE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1918, Page 4

MILITARY WASTE.

THE SCANDAL IN AUSTRALIA

SI’MN’EY, Jail 25. ; Everyone in Australia lias known, for years past, that there is colossal and criminal waste in the Defence Department. Huge sums have regularly disappeared, mostly in goods, but not infrequently in hard cash. There have been scandals, but the worst cases, though freely talked about, have mostly been hushed up by the departmental officers, and good old “ public expense ” has borne the 1 burden. But at last the Department is waking up to what everyone lias known for years. The Anditor-genei-al lias been examining the military accounts for the past year, and he has spoken freely. The ordnance accounts will not, balance anywhere, he says, great quantities of stores are not accouu ed for, and the practice which has been followed for years must be again adopted—namely, they must be “written off at the public expense.” The official says quite frankly that tlii-s part of the military situation is in an appalling condition. Thus encouraged, a number of exmilitary officers have given stories to tlie newspapers, and they make startling reading. They furnish extraordinary record of muddling, stupidity and mismanagement. ' One officer, for long in charge of a military camp, describes the procedure at the quartermasters’ store. Owing to the middling, the stocks are generally below what they ought to be, aud ibe' storekeepers wait for the inexperienced officer who goes to requisition equipment for his unit. The more inexpei ieuced lie is, the more fervently the harassed storekeeper’s thank God for N him. A mass of equipment is bundled out to his waiting carts, and he is assured that it is “all right,” whereas it is considerably short of the quantities mentioned in the receipt, which the innocent officer signs. Later, when the equipment will not go round, there is trouble. Three courses are open to the officer—submit the matter to inquiry, leave liis non-coms to bluif the men, into signing for' full equipment when they onl)’’ get partial equipment, or pay for the shortage himself. Needless to say, the last course is one seldom adopted. Later, \vhen final inspection is made prior to embarkation, and tlie men are found., not fully equipped, there is trouble. It is said that men have never yet been found fully equipped at these parades, though the records generally show that, they have been issued twice as much equipment as required.

\ One ex-officer, formerly-in the ordnance stores, who says he lost his position because he was too persistent in suggesting economies, gives many details of waste and muddling. The requisitions, for instance, for shirts from one camp commandant showed that he had applied for and obtained sufficient flannel shirts to give every man seven each. Yet at final inspection many men had not the two provided for by regulations. .The same rvas more or less true in regard to every article of attire. “Goodness knows where they Avent to,” said this official. He went on to give instances of enormous Avaste in administration In one office there Avero six clerks who nearly doubled their salary with over time. A. new officer took charge and he found that the work could be done comfortably by three clerks, without overtime. Overtime is.beiug Avoiked continuously by clerks all through the department, Avithout checking or supervision.