Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1906. THE ARMY SUPPLY SCANDALS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXX, Issue 8428, 19 April 1906, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1906. THE ARMY SUPPLY SCANDALS.

The revelations now being made in connection with the Army contracts during the Boer war make sad reading, and show that in England, where " Tammany " methods are a by-word, and the frauds of American financiers excite much pious disgust, things quite as bad are systematically carried on. It has just been stated by the ComptrollerGeneral that the accounts after the war were " utterly unreliable," and that there was a discrepancy of over 30,000 horses between those in the returns and the "number actually existing in South Africa." One transaction in particular serves to illustrate the whole system of peculation. The War Office had sanctioned the sale in South Africa of 12,000 bottles of port wine —being a portion of the stores left over from the war. The upset price was fixed at 26s per dozen, but only 15s per dozen was remitted to the War Office, and the Comp-troller-General's stall discovered that 68,953 bottles had really been disposed of. It was further discovered that this wine had been originally passed by the Woolwich experts as superior to the wine used in the London hospitals ; that the purchasers in Africa alleged that it was inferior, and offered 15s per dozen ; that the responsible officer in Africa telegraphed for authority to sell 12,000 bottles at 15s, stating that he was having the wine analysed; that the War Office sanctioned this, not knowing that the purchasers had really offered 26s ; that tho whole of the 68,953 bottles were then handed over at 15s, the responsible officer not waiting for the report of the analyst to which he had referred ; and that subsequently that report came to hand to tho effect that tho wine was genuine and of the value originally specified. It would be interesting, though difficult, to trace the secret history of this scandalous fraud ; but there is no need of further details to show that persons holding responsible positions, and reputed to be " officers and gentlemen," had robbed their country under specially disgraceful circumstances. Episodes like this serve to convince us of the

need for a thoroughly commercial element in every branch of the public service. In an age like the-present, which is above all things a commercial age, the £.s.d. aspect of every transaction is of the iirsfc importance; and any ignoring of that importance, any affectation of'contempt of it, must lead to moral obliquity and financial disaster.

News keeps coming forward of collisions between the Chinese population and the Mission authorities in many parts of China. The most serious riot culminated in the murder of .a Methodist missionary and his family. As'usual, it was difficult to determine the.exact circumstances that led io this lamentable affair; but, in a general way, it seeing to have been due to exaggerated runtdurs set afloat by the anti-foreign sections-"of. the population. A Chinese magistrate had died at the Catholic Mission Station at Newchang, and the story that was put about was to the effect that the missionaries had invited the Magistrate to the station to tiffin, to discuss some question of land concession, and that while he was at table, the missionaries cut his throat! The people, accepting this wild story, proceeded to wreak their vengeance on all the missionaries indiscriminately. The truth,about the matter seems to be, according to the local press, that a dispute*did arise as rumoured, and that the Magistrate, finding himself worsted in argument, proceeded in characteristic Oriental fashion to cut his throat, using a table knife for the purpose. He left a written statement to that effect. The Chinese authorities are making enquiry into the matter.

The other clay the Mayor of Masterton congratulated his Council upon the satisfactory aspect of the balance-sheet for the year ended on the 31st March last. From an inspection of the figures, which the Town Clerk kindly permitted a representative of this journal to make, we are satisfied that the return for the past year more closely approximated the annual estimate than upon any preceding occasion. The estimated expenses for 1905-6 were £5628 Is 7d, and the actual outlay £5696 10s Id. This is a closer adherence to estimate than even that recorded by the Wellington City Council, and is a record for Masterton. The estimated revenue amounted to £5628 Is 7d, and the actual revenue to £6507 7s 3d, the difference being accounted for by £558 received for recoveries and an increase of fees.