THE CANTEENS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2275, 8 October 1914, Page 6

THE CANTEENS

ALL TO BE RUN-BY THE GOVERNMENT. The Minister of Defence (Hon. J. Allen) _ stated in tho House of Representatives laat evening that the Government had made arrangements to take- over the whole of tho canteens on the troopships. In reviewing the transactions made with a view to providing canteens for tho troops, Mr. Allen said that the original arrangements were hurriedly made , when there was very littlo time at the disposal of the Department. In regard to some of the ships, Messrs. Levin and Co. had been quite willing to hand over to the Canterbury Patriotic Committee .the whole of the stores at invoice cost price, but the Canterbury people could not find-the necessary money. 'Mr.'G. W. Russell: Will you explain Levin and Co.'s connection with the matter ? ■» Mr. Allen replied that the commanders of the ships, who had intended running the canteens, could not finance tho undertakings, and asked the merchants to help them. Messrs". Levin and Co. had no desire to go into the undertakingi However, now the' Government would take over the whole of the canteens in every one of tho ships, and ta ; ke over, also, the responsibilities which that course entailed. • The stores would be taken over at cost price, and tho canteens would to run as regimental concerns. The profits would augment tho regimental funds. ,It. was estimated that the total cost to the Government would be about £1500, which included the salaries of a number of men. Mr; Russell (Avon) said he wished in a most hearty way to congratulate the Government upon the arrangementsthey had made, -as tho result of i'ae criticism that had taken place. He thought tho Government were 'acting rightly in paying compensation necessary in connection with the breaking of the arrangements made. Tho £1500 that this would cost the , country would be money well spent. ■' , Mr. Allen: That includes salaries.

Mr. Russell said tho proposal was so common-sense and practical an arrangement that tie wonder was it had not been made from tho start.