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of Works and attached to the Headquarters Staff, Defence Department, under date 22nd July, 1915, with the Defence Draughtsman (now the Assistant Director of Works) as an assistant. The object of Colonel ffiley's appointment was to ensure the personal responsibility of a senior military officer, with direct control on behalf of the Defence Department, for all matters pertaining to the design and construction of the various camp buildings and works, both contemplated and in course of construction, and also to ensure that military requirements as defined from time to time were, fully met, and a complete military supervision maintained over the progress of the works and expenditure. The, Public, Works Department continued the immediate supervision of constructional works performed by civil labour, under the direction of the Director of Works. At the- date of the, appointment no plans had been prepared nor any work commenced at Featherston Camp. These plans were, however, under the direction of the, Director of Works, put in hand immediately, and the actual work commenced in August, 1915. Formation of Works Section. On the occupation of Featherston Hutment Camp by the military in March, 1916, the Defence Department decided to eliminate altogether civil labour at both camps and form a Works Section, on Royal Engineer lines, with Colonel Hiley as Director. The formation of this section was completed by the end of March, and the work approved on new services was put in hand at once. A commissioned officer was appointed to control at both camps, but, owing to the heavy increase in constructional work and the provision of subsidiary camps both at Trentham and Featherston, it was found necessary to appoint a qualified Engineer officer to supervise the work, &c, at each camp. This arrangement continued in force with most satisfactory results until demobilization at each camp was complete. The duties of all the officers of the branch are defined in detail in Camp Standing Orders and Camp Routine Orders, as are also the eluties of the responsible non-commissioned officers in charge of power-houses, electrical communications, &c. Method of obtaining Stores and Materials. On the formation of the Works Section the Director of Works arranged that all stores and building-materials required for the carrying-out of services and maintenance would be ordered through the Railway Department Stores Branch, thus eliminating direct purchase from merchants, &c, and ensuring to the Defence, Department lower rates than could be, obtained by direct purchase. In this connection a store.was provided at each camp and a Storeman appointed. The procedure in connection with the control, both at Headquarters of the Works Branch and the Engineer stores in camp, the demanding of, issue, and accounting for all stores, is based upon Royal Engineer procedure and regulations, and has been full} - detailed arid issued to the staffs of the branch concerned. Classification of Works carried out by the Branch of the Director of Works. The works carried out by the Branch of the, Director of Works may be subdivided as follows : — (a.) Maintenance of existing buildings, including making good wilful damage caused by troops. (b.) Construction of new Defence, buildings and accessories approved from time to time, (c.) Supervision of Defence, buildings carried out by contract, including certain military hospitals, &c, outside the camps. Procedure in regard to Finance. Thes procedure in regard to finance was as follows : The Camp Commandant submitted his requirements to Defence Headquarters, where they were examined by the responsible heads, who, after defining the scope of each scheme or service, forwarded the final proposals to the Director of Works for the purpose of preparing plans and estimates. The plans, &c., when prepared were submitted to Defence Headquarters for both military and medical approval, and on this being obtained an application was maele by the Director of Works (under arrangement) direct to the Hon. Minister of Defence, with his recommendation, setting forth in detail the necessity of the, requirements, with a final estimate of cost and a request for allotment of funds. The plans and estimates referred to were in the first instance, in the case of minor services, prepared by the Works Engineer Officer at the camp concerned, but were examined and checked at the Works Branch Headquarters prior to the application for funds being submitted. The Cabinet approval for the expenditure, when received, was forwarded to War Expenses Branch to note, and at the same time the particulars were entered in the Works Branch Expense Ledger. The General Officer Commanding and Camp Commandant were advised when approval had been received. All material and stores for each particular service was ledgered against the, particular item, and the issues of material entered upon the tally-cards in the store. Issues were not made except upon the requisition of the Military Foreman of Works. These requisitions, on completion, were forwarded weekly to the Works Branch Headquarters, where, they were entered in a loose-leaf ledger, thus ensuring that Headquarters had a. complete check upon the local issues at the camps. At the close of each period for billing accounts to the Railway Stores Accountant, a statement of the completed services was prepared and submitted to the Hon. Minister of Defence, QuartermasterGeneral, and Officer in Charge War Expenses Branch, showing in detail the amounts authorized for each service, the actual expenditure, and the savings or excesses on each item, A weekly report was furnished by the Camp Works Engineer Officers, showing in detail the progress on all works and labour employed on each item, &c, on Form G. 71. A separate weekly return was also furnished for the, shifts, &c, carried out by the power-house staffs. This return was vised by the Honorary Advisory Mechanical Engineer to the Defence Department,