THE CANTEENS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2267, 29 September 1914, Page 7

THE CANTEENS

- - GRIEVANCES- BEING '"INVESTI-'-" '/.. ;■;-■.!,■■;■■•!! v,; -.', ■ ' i ■ ;-." .Tliq .Minister! .of,. Defence ■■ (the Hon. '.Jas. .Allen), on ( being aaked -by a i/oiu.s'ioN.;'reporter -whether he. had any statement to make , upon, the eubject oi complaints regarding.the canteen prices, saicT'ihat pending, the result!of, an'-'in-quiry he had already ordered, he yas not able .to say .much just yet. -■' \ "I can say this, however," said tn'p Minister, ."the:'prices; that were! sub- , mltted.to me for approval were 'the ordinary..,ruling retail prices in Welling, ton:.for .nearly every article, 'including .tobacco.;'-1 have ordered an investigation into the;complaint6,..arid.when-this is .completed the/result'.will be 'inado known. .1. have' got some of; tlie facts , but riiaye.not got them all yet... I..have asked'ffbv'^a! 'givmg !;the list;.of prices ■phargo'd on-! .the" !'ships.. for' the variojiß.articles, /with . a ..comparison showing !thejjrices charged .for jihosarne.ariicles on eliore. 1 ' ; :: . ;. , : ; ~,- ". ', ;"If the investigation shows that any' in.iusticcvhaa.been,. done to "the! men," .Sodded .Mr. Allen, "that injustice will! bo rectified. I am not prepared to adtmit that there has been any injustice.-' The inquiry will settle that point, but so'far. I have not yet got the facts sufficiently., before me." , ••'-.■ "All for the canmade hurriedly," added Mr Allen) "at a time when the ships were expected to get away in a.day or two, but J am now mnlcing the fullest inquiry intpjihe matter."■'. '. ':. ,- •',