I.— lc.

28

I CAPTAIN CLABK.

little sundries which we may have had to obtain had to be paid for in cash. Of course, I carefully kept a record—at Colonel Porter's suggestion—and he said he would give me a cheque for the ldt. He was ordered away Home in the Coronation Contingent, and had a lot of work to do before he went. He was very busy, and the matter was overlooked. Colonel Abbott, on taking command of the Ninth Contingent, had no imprest account, and the consequence was that we could not get a cheque for these things. The £9 ss. sd. was ail cash actually disbursed by myself, and Ido not think that, after the submission of that voucher when I came back to the colony, it reflects credit on the Department that it should be allowed to outstand, especially as it represented cash out of pocket. The next item is the gratuity, £191 13s. 4d. This gratuity, I may explain, is applicable to every officer who went to South Africa, providing that his services were satisfactory. The simple fact of my working in the Defence Office when I came back would make not the slightest difference as to the gratuity being payable—in fact, the officers who went out with the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Contingents practically got £100 for about four months' service, whereas the amount was greater in my case—£l9l 13s. 4d.—the gratuity being payable on the whole time I had been an officer—since the 31st March, 1901. It is at the rate of £100 per year, and so-much a day after that. It really works out to about ss. sd. per day. Of course, the gratuity in the case of some officers who had been on service a longtime was greater. There is no difference between a major, a captain, or a lieutenant—the gratuity is £100 to each. In the case of the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Contingents some of the officers got the gratuity without being satisfactory. I can mention the case of Surgeon-Major Bakewell. His voucher was not certified to by the officer commanding as to his services being satisfactory, but he got the gratuity without that. He did not go on column. 17. Bt. Hon. B. J. Seddon.] That was the reason why the officer did not certify —because he had not served under him ; he was in hospital ?—Quite so ; the services could not be deemed to be satisfactory considering that the officer had not been out of hospital till he returned to New Zealand. 18. I am told that Colonel Abbott did first of all certify to Surgeon-Major Bakewell's satisfactory services, but subsequently he declined to confirm that, because Surgeon-Major Bakewell had not been with them on column. Of course, I know tfiat you do not want to make any reflection?— No; I was only quoting Hansard on the subject. That gratuity of £191 13s. 4d., as you will notice, covers my service certainly up to and including the time that I was employed in the Headquarters Office in New Zealand—2Bth February, 1903. If that had been closed on the date of my return to New Zealand it would have meant, I suppose, that I should have five months less of that gratuity to receive. I did not think I should obtain the gratuity for the five months, and when I made out the voucher I went down to the pay office and inquired as to what I had better do— whether it would be obtainable up to the 28th February or not. They said, certainly it would. They recommended me to claim for it, and told me to put in the voucher for that amount, which I did. It was solely on the recommendation of the officers of the Pay Department. 19. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] Who was the officer you saw ?—I decline to say, sir. 20. Mr. Hardy.] Was it a member of the military section of the Department who gave you this instruction? —Before replying to your question I will put a question to the Chairman. Is it necessary to answer, sir ? If so, I shall have no hesitation in answering. 21. The Chairman.] Yes; please answer the question? —It was a member of the civil portion of the Department. 22. Mr. Hardy.] Who was the officer? —Mr. Williams, and also Mr. Simpson. Both advised me that I was entitled to the gratuity for the time claimed—to the 28th February, 1903. 23. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] What was the position held by Mr. Williams ?—I am not quite certain about Mr. Williams. I had always understood Mr. Simpson to be Accountant or Cashier, and Mr. Williams was, I think, Assistant Accountant. Well, this voucher for £191 13s. 4d. was submitted, and about a week afterwards I got a cheque for the amount through Colonel Collins, of the Treasury. The next item is a gratuity, as being adjutant for the Seventh Contingent, of £50. This is a copy of the voucher: " February 28, 1903. — To gratuity under Army Order 151, July, 1900, as wing adjutant, Seventh New Zealand Contingent, £50." That voucher is supported by extracts from regimental orders, not extracts from army orders, as the Hon. the Minister remarked the other day. Extracts from regimental orders are different things. The Regimental Order-book is available now at the Headquarters Office, and the following extracts will be borne out by reference to it: " Regimental Orders by Lieut.-Colonel T. W. Porter, commanding 7th New Zealand Regiment. —Standerton, sth June, 1901. —Appointments. —To be Assistant Adjutant, ActingCaptain J. J. Clark, Second New Zealand Contingent. —G. R. Johnston, Captain and Adjutant." " Regimental Orders by Lieut.-Colonel T. W. Porter, commanding 7th New Zealand Regiment.— Meyerton, 4th September, 1901.—Appointments.—Referring to regimental orders of the 18th May, the following wing appointments are now made and confirmed : Right Wing, Lieutenant J. J. Clark, Wing Adjutant.--G. R. Johnston, Captain and Adjutant." "Regimental Orders by Lieut.-Colonel T. W. Porter, commanding 7th New Zealand Regiment.—Elandsberg, 30th October, 1901.— Appointments.—Lieutenant Clark will act as Regimental Adjutant during the absence of Captain Johnston. —G. R. Johnston, Captain and Adjutant." " Regimental Orders by Lieut.-Colonel T. W. Porter, commanding Seventh New Zealand Contingent.—Fanny's Home, 31st January, 1902.—Staff. —Captain and Adjutant Johnston, having rejoined column, resumes duty. Lieutenant Clark resumes duty as Wing Adjutant.—J. J. Clark, Lieutenant and Adjutant." At \he time I was working in the office a report came round that this gratuity was payable toan adjutant, and, of course, I put in a voucher for the amount. The next item is a gratuity as brigade adjutant, £50—brigade adjutant of the Ninth Contingent—" To gratuity under Army Order 151, July, 1900, as Brigade Adjutant, 2nd New Zealand Brigade, Ninth Contingent, £50." " Brigade Orders by Colonel T. W. Porter, C.8., commanding