Defence Department.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 February 1922, Page 3

Defence Department.

DETAILS OF RETRENCHMENT SCHEME. WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. When the annual vote for the Defence Department was curtailed this year, it was inevitable that drastic- changes v.ci. ld have to be nude to enable the Department to live within the allotted vote, which was only a little more than j,...I tiuit of 1914. From information obtained by the “New Zealand Times,” it is understood that the General Officer Commanding the Defence Forces has now completed the scheme for reduction of stall's and that he has partly put it into operation by notification to certain members ol the staff corps and ceitain ordnance officers that their services

are no longer required. Only one oflicf|- at headquarters, it. is stated, has been ictirod. the others being in tlie various defence districts. The Royal New Zealand Garrison Artillery is also affected, many of the men in this section being 1 iausierrid to the ordnance section.

As a further means of economising, it is understood that the G.O.C. proj oses to effect the amalgamation of some branches. “A ” duties branch (staff organisation discipline, etc.) is to unite with “ G ” duties brunch (training military operations,, etc.) The new department thus formed is to be controlled by Lieut.-Colonel Powles, Commandant of General Headquarters Schol at Trenttiam, and “Q” duties (transport supplies, etc,) to remain as at present. It is rumoured that the latter branch will he taken over by Lieut.-Colonel Avery, who has been undergoing training at the Staff College in England, and is shortly expected to return.

This amalgamation, together with the requirement of officers, will necessi- : tate a reshuffling of appointments and Ins a natural corollary some of the I senior, and probably junior officers, will : -be transferred to district commands. It is understod that the amended scheme as regards training and camps will not be put into operation until the scheme as a whole is discussed at a conference of officers to be held in Wcl- ! liiigton shortly. The vocational train- ! in,g branch is steadily mincing its | operations, and the staffs of the medical service branches, owing to the

transforence of the control of hospitals to the Department of Public Health, has been considerably diminished. The works branch will practically cease its existence this month.

It is quite likely that further retrenchment in various directions will ho effected, as the money at the command of the Department will necessitate drastic reduction, not only in personnel, but in training and upkeep generally.