MARRIED SOLDIERS' LEAVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2889, 29 September 1916, Page 3

MARRIED SOLDIERS' LEAVE

"WEEK-ENDS AT FEATHERSTON. ; Married men in camp at Fcftthorston wliose wives reside in Wellington have felt for soma time past that they wore at a disadvantage as regards week-end leave, compared with 4 the married soldiers whose* wives live in rooms or lodg-' ings near Featherston Camp. Recruits who aro married appear to have been given to understand that they would be given woek-end leave every week, tho fact that a distinction would be mado between men whoso-wives livoat Wellington and: at Featherston . - nob having been mentioned. As it is, the married man with, a home near tho camp not only week-end leavo every week, but n© is also , allowed to sleep at home caoh ,night. The married .man'whose homo is in Wellington must take his cbanco with thousands of other applicants in tho matter of week-end leave in town._ , The reason for this is that wln'£ there are nearly, 9000 men _in camp,' transportation is only provided _ each, week-end for 1000 menj and no distinction of any kind is made when 'granting leave to visit Wellington. Married applicants think that 6ome distinction in their favour should be made. Many of them do not wish to break up their homes in Wellington, while others find tho rents dmrged at Featherston for room or board —houses are Quite unobtainable—so high that they will not go there to live. In addition, such rooms and board aro almost unobtainable. ■ In Trentham Camp, week-end leave Is givon freely to married men, whilo those who livo near the camp are allowed leave from evening till reveille. At this-camp the transportation problem does not prevail, as it does at Featherston. The married soldiers at Featherston claim that they suffer a disadvantage whieh should be remedied by allowing preference of leave to a certain number of married men each week-end.