DEFENCE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15657, 8 November 1918, Page 3

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE COMMISSION

REPORT BEFORE PARLIAMENT.

WELLINGTON, November 7.

In the House of Representatives this afternoon. Sir James Allen laid on the table the report of the Defence Expenditure Commission, and the supplementary report of officers, but not the evidence

Mr Veitph, discussing' the report, complained that the Minister of Defence had row departed from Lord Kitchener’a original scheme for the military organisation of the Dominion. The group system was definitely recommended by Lord Kitchener, yet, in carrying out recruiting for the war, the Minister, for some reason of Ms own, thought fit to depart from the group system, while retaining all its expensive features. Local camps were an essential part of the group system, but these were not established. Instead, a big camp at Trentham and another at Feathers ton were set up—why, he did not know, except that, the commercial interests in Wellington had their effect on the Minister. He condemned the failure of the Government to purchase the s.s. Limerick at the pre-war price, as they had the option of doing, when they mould have known that the value of the ship had gone up at least fifty per cent. Instead, they refitted her and handed her back to the owners. Unpardonable waste had gone on, and one witness had stated before the Commission that if the reforms he advocated had been given effect to, he could have saved the Department £SOOO per annum. When he wanted the Minister to tell the House was why Lord Kitchener’s original recommendations regarding camps were not carried out, and why, when the Commission reported against the concentration of men in large camps, Lord Kitchener’s scheme of local camps was not carnd cut, and why when the Commission reported against the concentration of men in large camps, Lord Kitchener’s scheme of local camps was not adopted. He also wanted to know what were the recommendations of Hie conference of officers who sat and considered the Commission’s report. He commented on the fact that the evidence taken before the Commission had not been placed before the House. In reply to Mr Harris, the Premier said the Government could not undertake to print the evidence, owing to the great cost, but the evidence would be laid on the table, and a. proper opportunity would be given members to discuss the report and evidence. In reply to Mr Young, the Minister of Defence said the supplementary repoM of tiie officers who reviewed the Commission’s findings would also be open for discussion.

Mr Payne said the country would never get to the bottom of the waste of public money in connection with the Defence Department, until the National Government was put off the benches, and, if for no other reason, h© strongly recommended the people of New Zealand to put them off. The Minister, in reply, said there was no desire oh the part of Mmself or the Government to shirk discussion. He was anxious to have thi*> fullest discussion of every item in the report. As to tiie evidence, that was taken in public, and the newspapers were at liberty to publish such parts as were not confidential, so that anyone following the papers would have a fairly good idea of what went on. With regard to the conference of offioere, he did not preside, and took no part in the proceedings, except to meet those attending. As to local camps, discussion of tiie battalion system by the officers conference showed that, with one exception, the officers were in favour of the present sysytem of training men, and he asked members to bear in mind the reputation New Zealand divisions bore in the field. They had proved themselves amongst the finest soldiers at the front. They could not hay© reached that position had tiie training been carried out on any other basis than that of the main camps, and personally he was prepared to let the recruits speak for themselves. The conference of officers was set np because tiie Commission went beyond the order of reference, and discussed many military questions, and he wanted to know what his officers thought of their recommendations on these points. Members could think what they liked regarding their findings, but personally he valued them very much.