New Zealand

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 76, 6 March 1916, Page 6

New Zealand

HOSPITAL AND PROGRESS REPORT. Admitted to New Zealand General Hospital,. Pout de Koubbeh :.- Otago Mounted Rifles.—Sergeant A. p MeClintosh. Canterbury BattalionPrivate C. Parsons. Progressing favorably.: Canterbury, Battalion.'—Private A. B. Stewart. LIQUOR AND THE SOLDIERS. DEFENCE MINISTER'S REPLY. Pee Prksß Association. Wellington, March 6. Last week the secretary of the Moderate League addressed a letter to the Defence Minister on.the subject of the early closing of hotels, and Mr Allen replied that the matter would be placed before Cabinet. Replying to fiv.e specific questions, Mr Allen says: (1) He does not think the material efficiency of the forces bad bean impaired through drink; it was undoubted that some had suffered, but the Percentage was not large: (2) there was no drunkenness in camp, as liquor was excluded; (3) three men had been discharged for" drunkenness :■( 1) drunkenness retarded the progress of some, but these were comparatively few; (£) some of the soldiers have, through drink, acted to* the detriment of their occupation as a soldier, but lie did not think there were many cases.