AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 20

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE.

THE NEW ADMINISTRATION. MELBOURNE, January 6. The new defence administration has received the sanction of the Executive.

The two outstanding features of the new scheme of defence administration are that the Inspector-General of the Federal forces is to have the smallest central staff ever known in Australia, and that Major Parnell, who is now undergoing a course of artillery instruction in England will in all probability be apSointed director of engineer services uner the new system. Mr J. A. Thompson, the chief accountant of this department, will be appointed finance member on both /the military and naval boards. The Deputy Adjutant-General will have two assistants—one permanent and the other temporary. The permanent officer will be the director tof departmental corps. This ivill be Surgeon-General Williams. His duties will include:—(l) Transport; (2) army service corps; (3) army medical corps; (4) veterinary department. The temporary assistant, who will be required to cope with the initial rush of business, will be LieutenantC/donel Irving. The Chief of Ordnance will have two directors under him: —(1) A director of engineer services, a position which will be temporarily filled by Captain P. N. Buckley; and (2) a director of stores, Mr F. Savage. Major Parnell, will, it is assumed, be made the director of engineer services when he returns to Australia. The Inspector-General (Brisa-dier-General Finn) will have a staff of two officers: —(1) An inspector of ordnance and ammunition, who will also be largely engaged in artillery inspection, in the person of Captain and Honorary Major Sandford, ancl a staff officer; and private secretary, Captain J. W. Niesigli.