DEFENCE COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1918, Page 2

DEFENCE COMMISSION.

DUAL CONTROL (UNSATISFACTORY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, May 11. Before the Defence Expenditure Commission to-day, Mr. A. D. Thomson (Assistant Public Service Commissioner) said there were two authorities supplying staffs to the military branch. This was unsatisfactory. The Public Service Commissioner had no control over the Home Service branch. Dual control led to dissatisfaction. Military and civilian officers were workng side by side, and the former got extra pay. A soldier was paid not according to the work he did, but according to his rank. Queationed on the subject of frauds, witness said there bad really been nothing to complain about, apart from a few irregularities in connection with stores. The chairman said New Zealand was the only country be knew of which bad passed through the war period without some frauds being discovered in connection with the military organisation. The contention was made by Major Norton Francis, in charge of 'base records, that Lieutenant-Colonel T. W. 'M'DonaJd was wrong in his figures as to the saving to he effected by havine base records and the war expenses 'branch under one roof. Many office men in uniform were underpaid. The practice was in bis department to employ only returned soldiers and unfit men.

The chairman said the point, was that it was inadvisable to keep fit men in jobs where unfit men were available. Major Francis said !he did not understand it was the policy of the Government to discharge returned soldiers hecause their work could ho done by women- The statement that Warnes, of the correspondence branch, wns not allowed to approach witness as director was contrary to faot. Any sectional head could go to him direct. The chairman said the Commission had never once been ahle to trace a case in -which the Minister of Defence interfered with an appointment. J' CAMP MATTERS, Wellington, May 13. Giving evidence before the Defence Expenditure Commission, Colonel Adams (Commandant at Featherston) and Col. Potter (Commandant at Trentham) said they were anxious to get away to the front, but had been refused permission. Both agreed that if they were responsible for the training of the men there would be healthy emulation between the two camps. The system of transferring men from one camp to another resulted in the employment of a considerable number of men and a great deal of trouble. The reason for the transfers was based on medical grounds. Home service men were not transferred. Both witnesses were in favor of the battalion system, and said if left to them they could carry out the training of the men if they had proper instructors.