DOMINION'S PART.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 March 1918, Page 5

DOMINION'S PART.

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION. EVIDENCE AT DUNEDLN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The Defence Expenditure Commission sat here to-day. Colonel J. C. Nicholas, O.C. the District since 1914, said that as far as he could see, he had no discretion to do anything in the way of expenditure to keep things going. Everything had to be referred to headquarters, Wellington, which meant delay. He quoted a case of applying for lamps. The requisition was sent to Wellington in October, replied to in February, but the lamps had not been supplied yet. If the O.C. had power to spend up to £IOO for incidentals it would sp.vp a lot of correspondence and worry, and make for efficiency. He knew there was a conflict of authority between the Department. He thought there should be one big camp for South Island Territorial training, and to have the whole period of training for the year at a time when the country would not be harassed. Major Cooper, General \ Staff Officer, an Imperial soldier of seventeen years' standing, said his two years' experience here made him think that headquarters didn't give district headquarters enough latitude, everything being centralised, and the instructions Were often vague, coming from various officials. Major Hickey gave evidence regarding the delays in obtaining stores. He favored the old system of calling for contract prices at the beginning of each year, and obtaining authority from Wellington to procure what was required. He also thought that money could be saved in connection with the Territorial system. With regard to the loss incurred in rifles and equipment since 1914, 22 rifles had been lost out of 222. Witness mentioned a case where two sets of orders had been received in connection with wire for detention purposes. Money might be saved if the useless ordnance stores brought back by transports were thrown overboard or burned immediately on arrival, instead of being carted about and handled several times before being destroyed. The commission adjourned till Saturday.