WAR EXPENSES OFFICE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1918, Page 8

WAR EXPENSES OFFICE

MR. RODDA'S POSITION.

Apparently a hasty deduction has been dra\Jjn'by the Claims, Board of the*Auckr landl Association from the following paragraph in the Defence Commission's report:— '

"It is difficult to understand exactly whore the duties of Director of Financial Services end'and those of. the Officer in Charge of War Expenses (Mr. G. 0. Rodda) begin; but these bi-anches threaten to become watertight compartments, and the one being under military and the other under civil control there does not seem to be complete accord in. regard to their working. The system of continuing two sections on work so closely associated is obviously bad. The one branch, writes solemnly to the other, sometimes through an outside branch— the Adjutant-General. The two should be interlocked and worked as one. The Officer in Charge of War Expenses has done excellent work, and has had a hard row to hoe; but, fortunately, the time has arrived when he can safely return to the Treasury, from which he was loaned, and' which Department seems to be hard up for officers, and is carrying on under difficulties. He will doubtless carry with him the grateful appreciation of the Defence D-epartment cordially expressed." It was assumed that Mr.', Rodda was to be transferred immediately, and therefore it was resolved to v"protest against the contemplated removal." Enquiries by a representative of The Post to-day brought a reply that no Ministerial action had yet been taken so far as was known in Wellington. In the absence of the Minister the matter could not definitely be settled, but the available information was to the effect that the Auckland people had a wrong impression. . ' *•»