MILITARY CANTEEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 31, 31 October 1917, Page 5

MILITARY CANTEEN

IMPORTANT MOVE AT FEATHERSTON CAMP

TO START ON NOVEMBER 15

Starting from the fifteenth of next month the camp canteen at i'eathereton will be run as ft military canteen, differiug from those of the imperial Army only in tho fact that it will be a dry canteen—no alcoholic liquor will be sold. This change from civilian to military control of tho largest camp canteen in ■New Zealand, may be 6aid to be an important innovation the operation of which will be watched with interest.

Ever since the opening of Jfeatherston Camp the Commandant, Colonel N. P. Adams, C.M.G., has had in mind the running of the oanteens of the main and subsidiary camps under military control. The enterprise, however, was a large one, involving extensive organisation and capital, and it was decided to begin with the email canteen at Papawai, which is a machine-gun and musketry camp; Some months ago this experiment was begun, and has worked with complete success; and the big canteen in. the main, camp is now to be taken over and conducted in the same way. ■ The definition of a military canteen may be given as a business organised by soldiers for the benefit of soldiers. The rations allowed each officer end man are sufficient for the Dare necessities of life. Outside these, however, every soldier has other wants, more or lees necessary or luxurious—clgarottes and tobacco being accounted necessities by soldiers. Military canteens were,, therefore, devised for the purpose of buying in the best market and selling at the lowest' possible price those extra articles required by soldiers. The staffs are composed of home-eerviM men, who are paid a little extra, duty pny, in the same way that carpenters, plumbers, and other skilled tradesmen m khaki are paid when plying their trades in camp. All working expenses are kept as low as possible, and if any profits are made they go to the regimental funds of the troop's which are in camp and U6ing tho canteens during the period in which the profit is made. It is on these lines that the Featnerston Camp canteen will be managed, tho officer in charge being one experienced in euoh business. Since it 's more than likely that the prices in the military canteens will.be lower than the prioes charged in the towns adjoining, ;he rule of military canteens, which prorides that only soldiers will be supplied, will be strictly enforced; moreover, it is a military offence for eoldiers to "traffice" in goods bought at military canteens; so there will be no conflict with the civilian businesses ontaide tLe camps. At the present timo civilians may enter the New Zealand camp canteens ai>d perchaso freely—though it mu6t be said that the man in khaki always gets priority of attention. After November 15, et l'eatherston Camp, only civilians wiio r.ro engaged in military work in the Minn, and who have canteen passes, will lie allowed to use the canteen. These passes will be strictly vised, and reviewed fiom time to' time. Although the prices of goods told in the canteen will be made as low :is possible, it is probable that they T»i)l not be as low in respect to dutiable goods as those charged in the oanteens on transports and in Great Britain and France. There the soldier is supplied with 6iich items as cigarettes and tooacco duty free., t has been computed that the average consumption of cigarettes by men in camp, is ten packets per, week per iaan. Some smoke more, some less, and some none at all. That is the average. It will be seen from this that every poi-ny by which the prices are Teduced will mean a considerable sum saved, especially to the private soldier. That substantial reductions in prices will be made in 6ome lines under the new regime is certain, and in many quarters the establishment of a military canteen at Featherston Camp is looked.upon as a step in the rigiit direction!