THE WAR STORES COMMISSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7957, 6 February 1906, Page 6

THE WAR STORES COMMISSION.

The War Stores Commission—of which we&ave not beard much Jateiy —has been unearthing some interesting evidence in South Africa. For instance, at the sitting in Pretoria, on December 21st, a captain of an English cavalry regiment stated in evidence that at manoeuvres at the Klip the forage supplied was bad, and a compromise was effected with the contractor. When witness was leaving the place an envelope was placed in his hands containing two ten-pound notes. There had been no arrangement as to payment; the money was simply given in consideration of having taken over bad oats "for worse mealies. This officer also admitted receiving £2O a month from a certain firm for supplying them with a list of supplies required, in or der to prevent confusion. A Ser-geant-Major of the Army Service Corps deposed to receiving from the agents of Meyer, Limited, sums of £6OO and £2BO for sales of surpluses made by the under-drawing of supplies, and £5 monthly for parsing the accounts of the firm promptly. The agent for Meyer, Limited, at Harriamith, said that his instructions were "to make local purchases, and pay up to half the contract price. He was told ihat tne greater surpluses he made the better would, it be for him. He paid gratuities to non-coms, and was instructed not to be too careful about passing supplies." Tha most remarkable evidence was given by a man named Cowie, who said that for a time he worked dfiring the morning at the office of the Director of supplies, and in the afternoon at the office of Meyer, Limited. This was, be admitted, an extraordinary position to hold, but he denied that ho had used his position in the office of the director to give Meyer'a information, "except 'regarding soino small tenders." The Court was in possession. of documentary evidence showing that ap : parently Meyer, Limited, set about making all preparations for the fulfilment of a contract before the tender had been officially accepted, and witness was questioned as to this, but was unable to say what was the reasou for this confidence, an answer which did not at all satisfy the chairman of the Commission. The same witness said that a certain sergeant received £3OO for giving his "moral support in getting a largo tender accepted."