H.—l9d

4

Page 8. 9. Officers at General Headquarters too busy to see subordinates from districts. A Staff Officer from a district: can always, be given an appointment at General Headquarters and be seen if he writes beforehand to say he is coming. Sometimes, in the press of an urgent piece of work or an important conference with another officer or officers, it may be impossible to drop everything to see a chance visiting officer at the precise moment he may happen to arrive, but even under such circumstances it would always be possible for him to' arrange an interview later in the day. Page 8. 10. Suggestions not encouraged, by General Headquarters. Vide 15. Page 9. Page 8. 11. The method of accounting for stores at small camps was not good. The method of accounting objected to was changed in June, 1917, after the witness referred to had left the service. The present method of accounting is found to be satisfactory. Page 9. 12. Officers in command Administrative Branches at Headquarters not consulted, and no say in appointment of subordinates. Vide 52. Page 33. (a.) This allegation is incorrect as regards military subordinates. All Administrative Branches come either under the Adjutant-General, or the Quartermaster-General. Recommendations for appointment are almost invariably made by the subordinate officers in charge of branches to the Adjutant-General or Quartermaster-General respectively. The former places bis recommendations before the General Officer Commanding for approval. The latter approves of the Quartermaster-General's appointments in his dual capacity of General Officer Commanding and Quartermaster-General. Probably some misunderstanding in regard to evidence given by the Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores gave rise to such an erroneous opinion (c.f. 52. Page 33). (b.) Members of the Civil Staff arc appointed by the Public Service Commissioner, but if found unsuitable the head of the branch (the Director) is at liberty to advise the Secretary to the Public Service Commissioner that any particular individual's services are no longer required. Page 9. 13. The Adjutant-General and the Chief of the General Staff have to do with appointments in branches outside their control. Neither the Adjutant-General nor the Chief of the General Staff has to do with appointments to administrative branches outside his control, and it is difficult to understand how this incorrect finding could have been arrived at, especially as no question was asked either the Chief of the General Staff or the Adjutant-General on the point when they gave evidence. Neither officer has anything to do with appointments or promotions in other branches, beyond in their capacity as members of the monthly conference of all heads of branches in regard to promotions. At this conference all proposed promotions are discussed. This gives branches an opportunity to say whether a promotion proposed in one branch is likely to give rise to anomalies and discontent in other branches. The conference lias no power to veto a proposed promotion being put forward, but it lays an obligation on the officer in charge of the branch concerned to put forward any objections raised by the branches when his proposal is put before the General Officer Commanding. All proposals are placed before the General Officer Commanding by the Assistant Military Secretary, who is the secretary to the conference. Since this conference was instituted by the General Officer Commanding in 1917 there has been a distinct diminution of difficulties on account of promotions. Page 9. 14. Administrative officers to be trained before being sent out to districts,. <&c. Every endeavour has been made for some time past to train officers in the branches at general Headquarters prior to sending them out for duty in districts. Page 9. 15. Suggestions not encouraged. Sufficient attention not pnid to suggestions of subordinates Vide 10. Page. 8. Suggestions from subordinates are not discouraged, but, on the contrary, are encouraged. When important changes are contemplated it is an almost invariable practice to call together subordinates and ask for suggestions. In other cases proposals are passed round for suggestions. There are occasions when suggestions made have been found after careful consideration to be impracticable, and one is forced to the conclusion that more has been heard of the impracticable suggestions not accepted than of the practicable suggestions which have been adopted. Page 9. 16. British Army methods should, be discarded in favour of more direct methods. Page 64. The opinion of the Defence Expenditure Commission advocating practically a clean break from "English Army methods" would appear to be diametrically opposed to the