OFFICERS' KITS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2840, 3 August 1916, Page 6

OFFICERS' KITS

« A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. At tlio last meeting of tho Advisory Board to the Reiterated Patriotic Societies it was decided to write to tliu Dcteuoe Minister, stating tbat in the opinion of the board the Government should supply the whole of an officer's equipment, and that such goods should not yo made a call upon patriotic funds. In reply the Minister wrote submitting a schedule of equipment (as published in Tim Dominion yesterday in extracts from -District Orders), and added that with the exception of the magnetic compasses, binoculars, and revolver's, all tne items were obtainable from the Defence Stores at Wellington, and that any officer in camp might requisition for the requirements of these items through the camp quartermaster. Binoculars and revolvers were obtainable from the Ordnance Stores on arrival at the base. • ~ It was generally agreed by members of tlie board that tho Minister's statement was a satisfactory one. The chairman (.the Hon. J. T. Paul), in explaining tho Duuediii reason for supplementing the allowances to officers from their fund, said that '.hey had found that the amount allowed to officers by the Government was really insufficient for their needs whilst in camp in Now Zealand. They had also found that the man. in the ranks nad certain calls on his pocket during the first week or two that he was in eamp. He mentioned that the belt tho soldier had to wear during full dress parades had to bo provided by the man himself. This ho was able to do when necessary by borrowing the kit necessary. Mr. Hope Gibbons, of Wanganui, said there wero not many soldiers who could not spare a few shillings towards their kit during tho first week, or to ho was in camp. The single young man was not so badly off -with his Is. a day <md keep. No further action was taken in the matter.