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DEFENCE COMMISSION.

ALLEGED FAVORITISM. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, April 29. Before the Defence Expenditure Commission, Mr. George A. M'Lean, of Gray and M'Lean, builders, Wellington, stated that his account for fitting up work on certain troopships was £4OOO, but on account of there being no clack Kept lie could easily have put 011 another £IOOO. It 'was only owing to his persistence that the Transport Board called for tenders. Those tenders were nothing more nor less than a farce. There were some underneath forces somewhere. Ha tried to see the tenders, but all he could get from Mr. Archibald Walker, chairman of the Transport Board, was j that it was a straight go. Witness did not think it right that another Wellington firm should he working on a transport all day on Sunday at double rates while his Arm could have done the work in ordinary time. There was a suspicion in It is mind that favoritism was being shown as between the firm supplying the timber for troopship work. He did not understand why a Wellington firm should have had the contracts for erecting the hospitals at Trentham and Rotorua without competition. He did not think members of the Transport Board were qualified "for their positionsIf the authorities did not take drastic steps to prevent it, the waste would go Oil. Sergeant-Major L. Stephenson, 38th Reinforcements, asserted that waste is going 011 in training non-commissioned officers at Trentham. He was sure a number of men went away with the 34th Reinforcements who were medically unfit, as there was no medical'examination before they left. He thought that the discipline and administration in the camps was lax; the instructors had nothing to work for and appeared to be getting tired c*f their jobs. Wellington, Last Night.

At the Defence Commission. Captain Kirkwood, secretary of the Transport Hoard, said that for the past 12 ov 13 months no s'.i'ip had been fitted out on account of the New Zealand Government. Ships were always fitted out to the instructions and specifications of the Transport Board, but payment made *>y the Government was for the carriage of troops only. Regarding the two Main Body ships, 110 fait basis of comparison of the cost of fitting out could be mode. One was a passenger ship and the other a cargo carrier, which had been pierced' from end to end with posts.-and 'ventilation provided. He was satisfied that in the timo available the best possible had been dotie, and that the country had not been overcharged. Mr. Douglas Seymour, general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, gave evidence on the suggestion that the work of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department. should be administered by local associations. An objection to the methods of the department was that it made inquiries through the police. Witness asked the Commission to inquire as to the number of fit officers retained in the Dominion as indispensable for administrative duties. It was suggested that the personnel for the hospital ships" should unfit or partially fit men now on their being released for service at {he front.

Mr. Batten, vice-president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, speaking aa to ths mufti allowance to returned mc-n, said that if one uniform frus allowed instead of two, the Government might bo able to increase Che mufti allowance.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19180430.2.30

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1918, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
553

DEFENCE COMMISSION. Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1918, Page 5

DEFENCE COMMISSION. Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1918, Page 5

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