J-FORCE CONDITIONS DECLARED IDEAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5309, 23 January 1947, Page 6

J-FORCE CONDITIONS DECLARED IDEAL

( Prtttts Aam.-

! A FEW MALCONTENTS ' MAJOR BARNETT GIVES . PERSONAL SIDELIGHT

—Iiy Telegravli—xjopyripht . j

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Saying that a few malcontents, such as were found in every branch of civil ancl military life, failed to appreciate the idea) conditions under which J-Force served in Japan, Major ; H. W. Barnett, O.B.E., Commanding Officer, N.Z.A.S.C., on leave from Japan in Wellington. gave free expression to his viewa at Army Headquarters. He had seen no fewer than 47 "pleasf vxplains" forwarded i'rom New Zoaland in reference to cornplaiuts aent to the Dominion from a uoiay few in Japan. If one looked at the personal history sheets it would be focnd in a lai*ge rumbev. of eases that then* was some record of a military offc-nce. "In my own units," he added, "I have the inevitable discontented few — Timi* of them. If I tock you through the emptv bairacks you could identify these men by the con.dition cf the rooms and their beds. Orte little slip-up on the part oi' the cook means to them bad food; one passing ineonvenience a chronic gtaie of poor living. "Aetually the conditions arc tho reYerse from tho picture painted hy the insatiable few. ' They are — and I speak with experiencc of Greec-e, Crete, the Desert, Syria, Jtaly and Japan- -• ideal. I am not exaggerating. f am hore merely on leave, and anythhtg 1 say whieh is not eorrect wlll be wrappixl round my ne'ck when I got iaick." Provision of Amenities Major Barnett gave the Japanese garrison picture as he saw it. "ku my unit," he coi\tinued, "we have a bootmaker and a tailor. The iaundry too, is free; handed in at tho canteer.. and returned to the. lasi article, in strong contiast to the conditions in some places we served. The men can play practically any game they want to, except, say, polo, and ali sporfing facilities aio -provided free of charge. , "The unit has three launches, which lend themselves to swimming and 'fishing-, as wel] as pleasurc trips. We have twn changes of pictcres every >-eek. Reasouanle transport is provided for week-end excursions. "The A.E.W.S. is operatir.g, and troops otui undergo a wide variety "f courses— evei: -pianoforte, Some ti eros articles required do not come forwrad, "but the Aimy has no control over strikes abroad or. similar contingencies." Thore were amj)le resoits where troops could spend their leave period s continued Major Barnett. These in- | eluded Beppu, which was a veritable Rotorua. The Army had tanen over and was renovating forr hotels, one of which had 17 tepi.l bath.s At such resorts ihe troops could enjoy billi- ! ards, dancing and diversion such as j were generally provided by service j clubs ekewhere. Visits to Tokio J Vamnguchi, Tokio, was about ' • 600 inile-* — 2b hours by t rain, w i f h dinlng and recreation cars. li was , usually possible for a soldier at oue } time or another of his tour of duty to , reaeh Tnkio. Battalion guai' i duty ! there fiid not count as leave, iiut it j approxivnatcd to it in the troops' eyes. j The New Zealanders' sec.ond tour of ; gnard duty in Tokio would commence in Pebruarv.

AI1 travel and facilities were free in Japan' as against, say, Cairo, where .Uie clubs provided food an 1 accoiarnodation and arranged trips, but did not defray their costs. The only outiay a uokiier need undertake in Japan was whai, he bought in the canteen. Special issues on the bailot system for purchases of parcels of equivalent value from the canteens included good quality silk, culture pearls, dressing gowns etc. Inereased issues were being arranged for. Every thing bought in the shops was very expensive, £30 to i'10 being asked for a good kimono. The high pay of the Americans, to whom £100 meant nothing, made private purchase rather a problem for other troops. 1 In a final word, Major Barnett said Brigadier Potter and' his staff j were doing everything possible for j the troops, most of whom appreci- j ated this. It would be a good thing if some New Zealand journalists risited Japan and verified for themselves the general Cffiitentment of the troops.