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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 604, 20 September 1913, Page 5

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i . • V • I '.-; •«, ' ' ; , wkrtisv . t-.nl ;.MU pSHflfe x 'ilniriit iti 11 Wore >'-«lr ' ;iW wont into Committee on Class 10, Defence Department, £505,047. Mr MkCallum held that the salarieß paid to the higher class of officers wan out of proportion to the salaries paid to school teachers. The Hon. Mr Allen, replying to Mr Robertson on the question of a Garrison Officers Club, said one officer had got into conflict with the others, and was denied admittance to membership. He (the Minister) thought all officers wearing the King's uniform should be eligible for membership. As the club had rooms in the Defence Buildings, instructions had been issued that so.—i long as the club occupied those rooms the membership must be open to all officerd following that order. The club had vacated rooms, and now have a private club in private rooms. Mr Bell advocated the abolition of drills between camps. Mr Isitt quoted a case from the South Island where an officer had used vile language while in charge of a camp. The Hon. Mr Allen, replying, said the object of the department wbb to run the campß as economically bb possible, no matter whether the stores for the south were purchased in the south or vice versa. A clean saving of £6OOO as compared with the old syßtem bad been made this year, owing solely to the business capacity of the officers in charge. The proposal to abolish drills between camps and lengthen the campu wai not practicable at present, though he favoured such a course. The object of a permanent camp was to get the whole of the men together so as to form one unit, but again that was not practicable. If they were to have any scheme at all they mußt pay for it. It was not reasonable to expect efficiency in two or three years; they must wait till a boy had passed through the Senior Cadetß to the Territorials. Regarding the coßt be said next yeßr they would have to provide £60,000 or £60,000 in addition to what who on the Estimates. Mr Hanan considered far too much was being spent on the system. There was more spent here than in Australia. He deßired to place on record his objection to men coming from England to say how much was to be spent on defence. If the cost were not put down the public would rise up in arms against the whole system and it would go. Mr Allen said Lord Kitchener's estimates did not cover what the department was doing. It did not cover the Senior Cadetß or assistance to rifle clubß. Everything was being done to suppress bad language and* ' drinking. If an officer were found to be indulging in bad language the Commandant should punish him. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.