Defence Expenditure.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 April 1918, Page 4

Defence Expenditure.

ALLEGED WASTE. SOME serious y allegations: ■ , . ■■■'■/ . { i.: V.: .. WELLINGTON, April 29. - Giving evidence'before the Defence Expenditure Commission to-day, George , A. : -McLean,- of Gray and McLean, j builders,' * Wellington, stated that his account for fitting up work on certain troopsships was £4OOO, but on account’ of there being no clerk kept, he could easily have put on another £2OOO, It was only owing to his persistence that the Transport Board called for tenders, and those tenders were nothing more nor less than a farce. There were some underneath forces somewhere. Witness did not think it right that another Wellington firm should be working transports all day Sunday at double rates while his firm could have done the work in ordinary time. There was a suspicion in his mind that favouritism was being shown as between firms supplying timber for troopship work. He did not understand Why a Wellington firm should have had contracts for erecting hospitals at Trentham and Rotorua without competition. He did not think 'members of the Transport Board were qualified for their positions. If the' authorities did not take drastic steps the present waste would go on.