QUARTERMASTERS IN CAMP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16983, 17 October 1918, Page 4

QUARTERMASTERS IN CAMP

QUESTION OF EMPLOYMENT.

STATEMENT BY' MINISTER. The matter of the employment of 47 quartermaster-sergeants, --who returned from the front last .March on duty, ha« been the subject of correspondence between Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., and the

Minister for Defence. Replying to Mr. Parr's first fetter, Sir James' Allen stated that there was no foundation for Mr. Parr's assertion that no work had been found for the men in camp, and that they, were idling away their time. The men were obtained from England for special duty in tho .quartermaster's department, and for return to the United Kingdom on transports. they reported in camp in New Zealand last April, they | were given work to acquaint them with tho. routine followed in. ,New Zealand, The 'Minister stated that the conditions under which the men were employed were that they joined up in New Zealand with a reinforcement draft, performed administrative duties during the whole period of training of the draft to which they were appointed, and were then required to embark with the draft' and carry on the same- duty on the voyage. They were not retained at the overseas base, but returned to the Dominion for a similar tour of duty. The men had always been fully employed, and a number had already embarked with drafts.

In his reply to the Minister, Mr. Parr stated that it was difficult to understand what military or public advantage could bo gained by bringing 47 experienced men from the front in order that they might become acquainted with the routine practised in camps in New Zealand. It seemed extraordinary that men skilled in quartermaster's work by years' experience at the front should bo put to learn from inexperienced men who had never been out of Now Zealand, Ho complained that tho Minister's letter did not meet the other point that the temporary qnarter-master-sergeants were still kept on, notwithstanding the presence in camp of the mmi from overseas. The system by which a larger number of men wore kept moving in o complete circuit between New Zealand and Eneland did not seem to be characterised by much speed, having regard to the fact that some of the men had been in Now Zealand nearly five months. Mr. Pair stated that he had ovary reason to believe that his previous statement with regard to the lack of employment was correct, and that tho whole arrangement in regard to the' men appeared to be extremely expensive to the Dominion.