DEFENCE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1918, Page 3

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION.

ONLY A MOXTH'S TRAINING REQUIRED. DEALING WITH itfcTURNED MEN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Wednesday. At the Defence Expenditure Commission to-day, ex-Lieut.-Col. 11. S For-

syth, Australian Forces, gave evidence that, as the result of his experience in London and Cairo, he thought the bulk of the eleven weeks' training given in Xew Zealand was absolutely a waste of time. All tho training the men required before embarking could be given in a month. His idea was that the work on the transport should be carried out by men trained for the purpose. Un tlic subject of returned soldiers, witness said his idea, was that after the men were discharged, it was the duty of the Government to put- them back into the walks of life which they left to go to the front, and that there the Government's responsibility should cease. The Government was absolutely courting disaster by putting on the land men absolutely unfitted for it unless it trained the men for such occupation He thought that for the voyage Home a soldier should be given two suits of dungarees, so tiiat at the end of the voyage his uniform proper would be in good order, and it would be better for the returned men to be kept on fatigue work at the camps, thus relieving recruits from a great deal of that kind of work.

The chairman; They arc doing that in Xew Zealand. Captain J C. iHill, in charge of the Military Police and wharf guards in Now Zealand, said a great difficulty was being experienced in getting suitable men for the military police, and he suggested that for wharf guards, they might utilise the services of young men nearly of military age. A training depot for military police was badly needed.

WHERE HUGE SAVIXGS CAN BE EFFECTED.

\ STRIKING IN'DICTMEXT. WASTEFUL METHODS. Wellington, Last Xight, Hiving evidence before the Defence Expenditure Commission to-day, 111". B. 0 Warm's, officer in charge of tin correspondence at the Base Keeords, dealt with the heavy cost of distributing the casually lists by the "Minister of liefence The cost of distributing the war news and casualty lists was £300,4110. Witness suggested ways in which the cost could be reduced, and if deaths only wore Telegraphed to the whole of the post oflices the totti expenditure would b* £?.i,WW instead of £250.000. He also suggested a lot of work now done by Home Service men could lie <!<>ii'.' I)>. girls at twii-ibruls the cost, and the separation pay should only be given I'.-r ca-r- of nu'ii on active service. The cest of telegrams from various defence ■ departments was too great Many messages could be condensed and frequently used phrases should he coded to save money In that way about .C 2500 a vear could be saved. The Defence Dc Bailment should have had farms of its own in connection with Fcatherston and Trcntham camps tor the supply of milk and meat, and employ on them men in camp, thus reducing the «03t of food. He asserted that many transports returned without a. single invalid soldier, while invalids had come, back by regular HncrS and the saving could bo made in the is suing of free tickets for the next-of-kin coming to meet soldiers returning.