Paper No. 8. SHOWING the detail of the amount of BALANCES IRRECOVERABLE and CLAIMS ABANDONED for the Year ended 31 March 1922. I. Losses consequent on theft, fraud, arson or gross negligence. 1. Deficiencies of small articles of equipment, issued to prospective recruits, due to rejected men leaving the depot before their return could be secured. A new system of issue and check has since been introduced. (S.14133) 2. Deficiencies of clothing stores on board an aircraft carrier, attributed to theft, facilitated by insecure storage accommodation and inefficient supervision. The accommodation has since been improved and a qualified stores officer appointed. (S.14133) .. 3. Loss of stores in transit to Ireland on board vessels chartered by the Admiralty, presumed to have been stolen. New arrangements have been introduced for future similar consignments. (S.14133) 4. Damage to lorry caused by an accident whilst on an unauthorized journey. Disciplinary action was taken against the driver. (S.14133) 5. Theft of a touring car from a R.A.F. station. Disciplinary action was taken against the orderly officer and the guard for neglect of duty. Police inquiries yielded no result. (S.8045) 6. Misappropriation of money, deposited for the purchase of discharge of six airmen, by a non-commissioned officer who absconded and has not yet been apprehended. Two officers have been called upon to make good the sum of 601. in respect of the loss of three of the deposits, which was contributed to by their neglect; the loss represents the unrecovered balance. (S.10954) 7. Defalcations in a messing account due to irregularities committed by the messing officer, who was tried by Court Martial and cashiered. Allowances due to the officer, amounting to 11. 18s. 5d. have been set off against the deficit. (S.12973) 118 393 10. 314 14 4 128 13 2 562 7 1 60 90 4 1 Paper No. 8.-continued. Showing the detail of the amount of Balances Irrecoverable, &c.-continued. Case and Number of Treasury Authority. Deficiencies of for Pay, &c., Cash. Losses consequent on theft, fraud, &c.-continued. 8. Destruction of pigeon loft and damage to plates of a water tank caused by an act of incendiarism by some person or persons unknown. (S.15080) 9. Deficiency in the accounts of a canteen, instituted for workmen engaged in the construction of an aerodrome during 1918-19, attributed to bad accounting, loss of cash during change of quarters, and petty thefts. Salary amounting to 531. 3s. 6d. was withheld from the official responsible on the termination of his appointment. (S.15080) 10. Deficiencies amounting to 2,9021. 4s. 9d in the 1919-20 accounts of a temporary unit attributed, in part, to unvouched payments of travelling expenses to airmen on recruiting duties, over-issues of cash, and other unvouched expenditure. The Accountant Officer absconded before the completion of the investigations and has not since been apprehended. Disciplinary action was taken against a former Commanding Officer for failing to exercise adequate supervision over the accounts. In addition, the same accountant officer fraudulently obtained the sum of 61. 6s. 7d. from another imprest holder by means of a cheque drawn on a closed account. (S.12424) .. 11. Loss of public money in transit by Air Mail in the Middle East. Responsibility for the loss cannot definitely be established, but an officer who was negligent in the taking over and subsequent handing over of the mail was called upon to pay the sum of 51. towards the loss. The carrying of cash either in notes or coin by air mail services in the Middle East has since been forbidden. (S.14070) 12. Cost of reconditioning a touring car which had been stolen from a requisitioned garage near Cologne and subsequently recovered. Certain foreign parts found on the car were handed over to the Disposal Commission for disposal. (S.12785) 13. Cash deficiency of 6457. 12s. in the accounts of a Camp Commandant in Egypt, who committed suicide before the discovery. The Court of Inquiry found that the loss was due to misappropriation by the deceased officer. The sum of 1657. 15s. 3d, was recovered from the deceased officer's estate. (S.15916) 14. Loss arising from the misappropriation and misuse of railway warrants issued to units during the war period and believed to have been stolen when the units were being disbanded. Precautions have been taken to prevent future losses of this nature. (S.16774) 15. Theft of public money from an officer at an Egyptian Bank. An Egyptian who was next the officer while he was drawing the money was suspected of the theft, and brought before a native court, but he was released under guarantee owing to lack of corroborative evidence. (S.16207) Paper No. 8-continued. Showing the detail of the amount of Balances Irrecoverable, &c.-continued. Case and Number of Treasury Authority. Deficiencies of for Pay, &c., Cash. Losses consequent on theft, fraud, &c.-continued. 16. Deficiency of 1,5731, 6s. 3d, in the accounts of a unit due to misappropriation by the Accountant Officer, who absconded and has not since been apprehended. A sum of 7001. which had been drawn from the bank by means of a forged cheque was refunded, 2047. 11s. 10d, was recovered out of moneys dispatched by the officer to relatives, and pay and allowances amounting to 657. 9s. 3d. due to the officer were withheld. (S.14426) 17. Cash deficiency of 2107. 8s. 11d. in the accounts of a unit attributed to inaccurate and careless accounting partly due to lack of accounting experience. Penalties amounting to 741. 8s. 6d. were imposed on two of the officers concerned. (S.17022) 18. Theft of surplus stores from an evacuated station guarded by a small party. A number of civilians, engaged to remove the stores, were accommodated on the station. Disciplinary action was taken against two sentries who were absent from their posts. (S.16774) .. 21. Loss of furniture from a train in Ireland, due to a raid by armed men 22. Defalcations at a store depot by a civilian pay clerk, who was sentenced by the civil court to a term of imprisonment. Disciplinary action was also taken against two officers, who failed to exercise efficient supervision. (S.17591) Other sums written off under Treasury Authority (i.e., up to 251. in cases of cash losses, up to 501, in cases of store losses by fraud or gross carelessness, and up to 1007. in cases of store losses by theft or arson) Sums written off by authority of Air Council Sums written off by authority of Air Officers Commanding.. 603 5 2 136 - 5 305 10 3 120 12 7 Paper No. 8-continued. Showing the detail of the amount of Balances Irrecoverable, &c.-continued. Case and Number of Treasury Authority. Deficiencies of Stores, for Pay, &c., Cash. Losses other than by theft, fraud, &c.-continued. 25. Compensation awarded for loss of furniture in hired premises used as an officers' mess during the years 1917–19. Responsibility could not be fixed owing to the continual changes of personnel, followed by demobilization, transfer, &c. The sale of certain dilapidated articles realized 91. 17s. 9d. (S.14133) 26. Additional deficiencies at a repair depot discovered on re-checking the amount reported to and written off by the late Treasury and Air Ministry Losses Board, attributed to clerical errors in accounting. The total deficiencies were less than the total surpluses discovered. (S.14133) .. 27. Deficiency of petrol attributed to evaporation and leakage while stored in containers over a period of seven years, and to spillage and wastage during tests and calibration of bulk installation. (S.14133) . 28. Deficiency of petrol caused primarily by lack of organization, and general slackness due to the inexperience of the stores officer. Disciplinary action was taken against the officer commanding and the stores officer. (S.15080).. 29. Deficiencies disclosed at a R.A.F. depot, additional to the discrepancies previously reported to and adjusted by the Treasury and Air Ministry Losses Board, due mainly to bad accounting. The total deficiencies were less than the total surpluses discovered. (S.15080) 30. Deficiencies of articles in use disclosed on the closing of a stores depot arising chiefly from errors in nomenclature by an inexperienced temporary staff. Surpluses valued at 9331. Os. 7d. were discovered at the same time. (S.15080) .. 31. Deficiency in fuel brought to light on the closing of a repair depot, apparently due to defective accounting for issues spread over a number of years. (S.15080) 32. Deficiencies at a stores depot due to discrepancies between the vouchers for clothing and accoutrements consigned by disbanded units to the depot and the quantities actually received at the depot. The deficiencies are considered to be due mainly to bad accounting at the consigning units, attributable to rapid demobilization. (S.15080) 33. Waiver of claim against a firm of contractors for hire of six lorries loaned in 1918 in connexion with the construction of an aeroplane factory. A larger counter claim for expenditure incurred on steam tractors, hired to replace the lorries owing to the latter being constantly out of use through defects, was withdrawn by the firm. (S.11670)| 34. Claim against a firm of contractors, for the cost of reconditioning two R.A.F. engines which were damaged while on loan to the firm, abandoned owing to the appointment of a Receiver and the distribution of all available assets to Debenture Holders. (S.16774) Paper No. 8-continued. Showing the detail of the amount of Balances Irrecoverable, &c.—continued. Case and Number of Treasury Authority. Deficiencies of for Pay, &c., Cash. Losses other than by theft, fraud, &c.-continued. 35. Deficiency of petrol disclosed on the completion of a bulk installation attributed to leakage and evaporation spread over a considerable time while the petrol was stored in containers. (S.16774) 36. Deficiency of R.A.F. ammunition at an ordnance depot, attributed mainly to inaccurate accounting during exceptional conditions which prevailed there after the Armistice. Surpluses amounting to 5,362. 19s. 6d. were also discovered. (S.16774) . 37. Overissues of pay to various demobilized officers. (Additional to 12,2317. 2s. 7d. reported in the 1920-21 Appropriation Account, paper No. 8, case 39). (S.4304).. 38. Overissues of flying pay to various demobilized officers (additional to 14,8541. 19s. reported in previous Appropriation Accounts). (S.3580) .. 39. Overissue of pay and gratuities to ex-Quartermasters of the Army transferred to the R.A.F. due to a misinterpretation of the Regulations by the Agents, who were charged with one half the amount overissued. (S.4304).. 40. Overissue of pay to an officer due to his having received pay for a certain period from two sources as the result of an error on the part of the Air Ministry. (S.7357).. 41. Overpayment to a works contractor due to an error in his claim having been overlooked by an Air Ministry auditor. (S.16002) 42. Remission of balance of debt, in respect of an advance made to an athletic club connected with an aircraft work establishment. (S.3199) 43. Waiver of claims against two firms of sums of 114/. 7s. and 251. 2s. 9d. in respect of supplies from the Royal Aircraft Establishment during 1914-15 and 1915-16. Details of the transactions are not now available for the purpose of substantiating the claims or of verifying that recovery was not effected by the War Office. (S.16522) 44. Deficiencies of stores at a R.A.F. station attributed to inaccurate accounting and lack of trained accounting personnel. Surpluses amounting to 5,0647. 4s. 1d. were also discovered. (S.17805).. 45. Deficiencies of stores at a motor transport repair depot, attributed to errors at a previous stocktaking, incorrect nomenclature of stores and inexperienced accounting personnel. Surpluses amounting to 13,590. 10s. 7d. were also discovered. (S.17805) 46. Deficiencies of stores at a packing depot due to the fact that no complete stocktaking had been carried out from 1916 to March, 1921, and to lack of personnel with storekeeping experience. Disciplinary action was taken against an ex-commanding officer and five other officers. Surpluses to the value of 6,8241. 5s. 8d. were also discovered. (S.17805) |