EFFICIENCY BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 46

EFFICIENCY BOARD

VISIT TO TRENTHAM CAMP

WELLINGTON, January 11. The Efficiency Board, accompanied by the Minister of Defence, paid a visit to Featherston Camp on Thursday. The members of the board had a complete look round the camp, and the measures taken by the authorities . to eleminate waste were specially brought under their notice. They in turn were asked to make any suggestions they might think proper for the more economical management of the camp. A suggestion by one member of the board was that Dr Hight, professor of economics at Canterbury College, might be able to offer valuable suggestions .and the Minister of Defence has asked Dr Hight to visit the camp at his convenience. It should bo understood that quite serious efforts are being made in the camps to economise in food. Theso efforts have been going on for some months in charge of Mr Ewen, of the firm of Rargood, Son, and Ewcn. Many economies havo been effected 'already which are of use in the camps, and it is hoped that many of them may be of use in civilised life after the camps are closed. It was to these operations that the attention of the board was specially directed. 'We arc studying the subject from the practical and the scientific point of view," said the Minister today. "Tha Efficiency Board may be able to offer suggestions which we shall be only too glad to adopt, and if they havo any such suggestions to make we should-like to have them. We have time for these things now. In the early days of the camps our chief concern was'with the- equipment, training, and despatch of men. Now we have time to think about economies, and we are doing it, oven to such an extent as the peeling of the potatoes. We are- considering whether rve can save by a more complete centralisations. We may find, for instance, that it will bo more economical to have all the potatoes peeled at the ono place, instead' of at the several oookships throughout the camps, and to distribute tho potatoes after they arc peeled. Wo are using such large quantities of food that even small wastes amount in the aggregate to considerable losses. Wo have made inquiries and investigations; as to how other

concerns using largo quantities set about the preventing of waste, but up till tho present we are convinced that we havo nothing to learn from any of them, and that perhaps they have something to learn from the Defence Department."