THE MEN AT THE FRONT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9790, 13 October 1917, Page 7

THE MEN AT THE FRONT

FOOD, CLOTHING AND MONEY. STATEMENT BY DEFENCE MINISTER. Referring to complaints that had been made in Parliament with regard to the clothing and feeding of the men at the front, and the money allowed to them, Sir James Allen read in the House of Representatives yesterday the following voluntary statement made to him the day before by a returned non-commissioned officer;—‘T was at Messines and was wounded there. In regard to clothing, the men in the Ist Wellington Battalion, of which 1 was a member, were absolutely well clothed. If a man had a slight hole in his clothing, or if it in any way needed attention, fresh clothing was requisitioned for and we got it in a week or less;. The men in the trenches and especially in the front line are better fed than the men in rest billots. In the battalion I was in a man pays one frano a fortnight, and this is subsidised by the regimental funds, which enables the men to get porridge, potatoes, cabbage or other vegetables, or any other little extra. Payment of one franc a fortnight is sufficient to supply all the extra requirements. We do not need more money at the front. We had the one frame arrangement no matter where we were in France, and the food we got was very good, but of course a lot depends on the cook. Sometimes we got plum pudding, and this came out of the one franc a fortnight.” Mr G. Witty (Riooarton) asked that the paper should he printed so that members would have an opportunity to correct it. (Hear, hear.) Sir James Allen could see no reason why it should be printed. Mr Witty: ‘‘No, I daresay not.” (Laughter.)