THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 15 October 1914, Page 5

THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

EXPENDITURE TO DATE

[By Telegraph—Special to Stau.l ■ ■ WELLINGTON, Oct. 14. In reply, to an enquiry from Sir Joseph. Ward this afternoon, the Minister of Finance said it would be entirely misleading for him to give the cost to date incurred in connection with the expeditionary force, as a number of accounts were still in progress and being adjusted. So far as he could recollect, however, the expenses v up to date had been about £250,000, but he would probably be able to get a more correct estimate in the course of" a few days, upon which he could afford the information to the House. PAY FOR DEPENDANTS.

. A further enquiry was made to-day by Mr Russell regarding allocations of pay to dependants of men in the expeditionary force. He explained that a trooper on the Maunganui had informed him yesterday that no pay had yet been given to dependants. The Minister of Defence replied that the men were all paid in, full up to Sptember 22. and that the next pay was now due, but he could not say whether they had been paid within the last day or two. No allocation was made fromttoh o pay up to September 22, because the men were all ashore and were able to pay their people themselves. Since September 22, however," allocations could be made for dependants. . . INVALIDED MEN FROM SAMOA.

The grievance. of a number of men, who have been invalided home' from the Samoan forces but not formally discharged, was voiced by Mr T. K. Sidey in the House of Representatives this j afternoon, a case being quoted in which ' an ex-railw^yman, after medical examation, was not provided with a certificate of discharge, consequently he could not resume his employment in the railway service. The Minister of Defence declared that the men when paid off were in-! formed that they were discharged. The•' printed certificate took so^e time to get out and was not immediately avail- ! able. The.Minister adder! +1-at he wished members would see him privately about these grievances instead of rais-1 irig the; matter publicly for some purpose of their own. I