SOLDIERS AND SIX O'CLOCK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2816, 6 July 1916, Page 6

SOLDIERS AND SIX O'CLOCK

CAMP COMMANDANT'S VIEWS. Tho question of six o'clock closing was mentioned by tho Camp Commandant of Treutham, Lieut-Colonel H. R. 'Potter, in his address to the 18th Reinforcements and officers, and n.c.o.'s of the 20th Reinforcements, 011 camp discipline 'and hygiene. After referring to the importance of these things, aiul of. tho won keeping fit nnd reaching tho tiring lino iu'good fettle, Colonel Potter said:

"I want to refer to the vexed question that is troubling the people, namoly, 6 o'clock closing, which moans prohibition for j-ou men, becanso if tho proposal is carried you cannot get to the hotels bofore the bars are closed. lam strenuously opposing the proposal. The reason I do so is because I trust every man, and until a man is found wanting I do not want him penalised: . It all depends on you men, .by your conduot, as to whether six o'clock closing is to bo carried into law. We have not asked for it, and wo do not ask for it. It is a big temptation, but I say that if you men are fit to go into countries where tli© control of alcoholic liquors is not so drastic as in New Zealand, you should iirst be capable of looking aftor yourselves here—of showing that you are able to exercise self-control under Now Zorland conditions. 1 want you by your behaviour to support my contention. You are not a lot of schoolboys; you are men, and should be troated as men while you behave as men. . Take your glass if you want it, and have done with it; don't forgot yourselves and drink to cxcess.

"Now, there is another point which I wish to specially emphasise. In Wellington at present there are some of tho foullest women that can be found in New Zealand, or Australasia for that matter, and 1 want you men to be very careful in your dealings with women there. You havo not only yourselves to study now. When you wore civilians you could do as civilians did, but hero it is a different thing." They could only bring a certain number of men into camp for each Reinforcement, and if men fell out through sickness it meant that draft would go away short. Ho said it was a crime ,if any man fell out through his own fault in associating with these foul women. Of course, ho knew that they wero not so foolish as to mix with some of these pests, but it was when they were under tho influence of liquor that thoy were liable to forget themselves and fall victims to the social scourge."