MINISTER FOR DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1918, Page 7

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE.

MORE PRAISE THAN BT.AMTV

(By Wire—Own Correspondent

Wellington, Nov. 29. When the Defence Estimates were under discussion in the House of Representatives to-night, the Minister for Defence received a good deal more praise than has been his lot in recent sessions. Several members who have been his uncompromising critics in other days had something to say in appreciation of the work he has done during the last four years. Incidentally many questions were asked, Bpecial attention being paid to the case of Private H. H. Thomson, who was sentenced to two years' imprisonment by a court-martial on a charge iof falsely accusing Dr- Hotop of being drank on parade. It has since been held by the Supreme Court that Dr. Hotop was an habitual drunkard.

Tbe Minister for Defence, replying to some of the points raised, said that tbe demobilisation of the men now on service corald not begin until the Peace treaty bad been signed. He did not think that the men would wish to leave Europe tin til the rar had been finally ended. In the meantime large numbers of wounded and sick men would be brought back. The arrangement made for demobilisation would permit of the men being brought back to New Zealand at a majftmum rate of about 10,000 per month, which would be as fast as they could bo assimilated into civilian life. With regard to the case of Private Thomson, the position was that this man had been sentenced by a court-martial on a charge of having accused the officer of being drunk on parade- It had since been proved that the officer was addicted either to drink or to drugs. The sentence Had been confirmed at the time after perusal of the evidence aad proceedings The whole matter was now under consideration.

A Member: Will you compensate the man?

The Minister: The whole matter is being examined. Sir James Allen said that he would release tbe men engaged at the forts as Boon as possible. But he had received a special instruction from the Imperial Government that the forts were to be manned for the present. The rumors of discontent at Featherston Camp had been greatly exaggerated. The men who were being discharged were allowed to purchase their kits at very cheap rates, and he had not heard anything of clothing being destroyed in the camps. He did not believe that anything of the kind was done unless in the interests of health. The dental ecpripmeirt at the camps was largely the property of the Government, and he hoped that it would be used by the State in the future, under arrangements still to be made. The Minister for Defence got his estimates through within the hour, and was applauded when leaving his seat beside the Chairman of Committees.