THE CANTEEN AT SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2306, 13 November 1914, Page 6

THE CANTEEN AT SAMOA

TROOPERS WELL SATISFIED. , In view of the alleged complaints made by returned troops from Samoa, as.to exorbitant canteen charges at the new British possession, correspondence received from Samoa by the latest mail is of particular interest. Two Wellington citizens have forwarded to this office communications from members of the Expeditionary Force, who appear to be well satisfied with the prices charged. Ifc really seems as if the troops •in Samoa are getting their- tobacco, cigarettes, and "soft drinks a good deal cheaper than they could purchase them in Wellington. One'trooper writing to his brother in Wellington says: "We'redoing all right. Cigarettes 3d: packet (yellow and others). Drinks, 3d. pint bottle, "and that's just about all wo need." .Another letter, states, that tobacco is ' sold at 4s. _ per lb. One trooper, writing to his ' mother, says:—"We now have a canteen of our own, and can get Three Castles cigarettes at 3d. a packet, and Capstan cigarettes at 9d. a tin'. Anything in the clothing line is cheap. When we first came here they charged 6d. for a bottle of lemonade, but we now get it for 3d.— the same with everything else. The (local) storekeepers had a good thing on with us."

A paragraph in "The Pull Thro' "— tho newspaper published at the island— goes to show that real complaints have not been heard of there. There wero rumours of growling, but never a response to tho officer's question: "Any complaints?" Speaking to a reporter, a membtr ot the Expeditionary Force who returned to Wellington by the Navua this week, gave an emphatic denial to the allegation that exorbitant charges.are being made for luxuries and necessities purchased at the canteen. . In a number of instances, stated our informant, the prices charged were lower than those ruling here; for example, cigarettes were sold ht 3d. a pflcket, and 2oz. tins' of tobacco for 9d. Blocks of writing- • paper, sold in the Dominion, are procurable at*Siimoa for Sd." As regarded soft drinks, lemonade, for instance, was sold at'3d; per bottle, ond in larger bottles than_ retailed' here. There were one or two lines of luxuries whero the prices wero slightly higher than those nilinp 7 in the Dominion, but Wiis was inevitable. Our informant commented that tho cai.il.ecn' prices on tile way across to Samoa w«rp, a "bit Miff," As U> tl|i) rulin.K prices in Saiuuu. •vteyyoue mu .very., well satisfied.

Liberal Party, holding that Labour should" strike out for itself, is urging Mr. Gillen, whatever the decision of tho bodies to whom the ballot has been referred, to stand, arid assure him of their cordial support.—Westport "News."

The'Westport "News" is responsible for this story:—"A resident of tlio town, whilst in an electorate not a hundred miles from Buller, overheard the following conversation: 'Excuse- mo, but what are you in politics? , 'I'm a Liberal. Sir Joseph Ward is no good to mo. , 'You mean Massey is no good to you?' 'My - —• oatti, no; Mnssoy every time.' "