DEFENCE EXPENDITURE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11531, 7 May 1918, Page 7

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE.

(Per Prena AgaoeiatioaO Wellington, May 6. At the Defence Expenditure Com-missioiisto-day, Colonel R. W. Tate, Adjutant General, in civil life a solicitor, stated that he had had no war service. He did not think there was too much centralisation in general headquarters. There was at the present time scope for the fullest exercise of initiation by district staff commanders. Asked whether, in his opinion, there were too many officers, especially of the civilian type, temporarily doing military duty, Colonel Tate said that the officers of civilian type were necessarily employed as there were very few regular staff officers available. He questioned if the number could be reduced. The Chairman questioned the necessity of employing soldiers in, say, Base Records Department. Why was it for all those clerks to wear uniforms? Colonel Tata: The pay is for ranks not for the position. Witness went on to say it would possibly be cheaper to employ a purely civil clerical staff in the Defence Department. There was" a large proportion of females, but the" idea was not considered practicable. It was a matter of policy that returned and unlit soldiers should ba employed in those capacities. He did not think there were too many men in uniform knocking round. Preference was always given to returned soldiers in filling positions in the Department and these were performing the duties satisfactorily. The salaries, ho thought, were fair with the exception of Lieutenants and Sub-Lieutsnants, who should at least be paid the minimum rate for a lieutenant in the New Zealand Permanent Force, £250 or 13s 8d per day, or be granted married allowance.