SOLDIER UNIFORMS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 3

SOLDIER UNIFORMS

THE QUESTION OV FIT. Tho order issued recently prohibiting the purchado by soldiers of articles of uniform from civilian stores has had a serious effect upon tho business of some, of the shopkeepers in tho camps, in the opinion of camp officers there has never been a necessity for these- purchases; tho reason behind (ho soldiers' action in. doing sn bas been a desiro to appear smurtor than they would in tho service issue. Tho chief item in attaining this end has been the purchase of knee breeches to replace tho loose trous-er-legs which fold over the top of tho putty, and gives free play to the knee Tho breeches aro admittedly smarter, but not nearly eo serviceable. Tho matter of fit is another leg on which argument, in favour of the buying of m-idv'm measure uniforms ie often llimg. Tho New Zealand soldiers, it hns sometimes been said, is not the smartest in appearance lof the soldiers of the Empire. '!iie camp officers declare, howiv.r, thai every man may secure :i i;ool fir vhou being equipped on entering eainp. THs opinion is concurred in by soldier?, wiih the reservation that, a littlo more time eaciild bo tnkeu by lhe_«ttiff f.f v-c <'an>p tlimrtermaster's stores, in seeing that tho new men, who are often shy in their utrango surroundings, get: uniforms that fit them. Tho range of sizes exists in the stores. It is simply a case of Retting the right nian into tho right 11111ferm.

Another anomaly which appears fo exist concerns tho issue of brass titles or badges. Every man h>is issued io !iim titles, in tho form of truss letters and numbers, to be worn on the shoulder litrapa, which show wh.it iirm ho Iwlonga to and tho number of his reinforcement; but the badges of each reinforcement, up to the present, have had to be bonght, likewise those of special branches of the sc-rvki , such as,the Ar'.ii'ery. A_ universal reinforcement badge is noir in issue, but tho special badges havo still to be bought.