TREATMENT OF OVERSEAS SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 November 1917, Page 4

TREATMENT OF OVERSEAS SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

To the Editor. Sir, —After reading your report on the address given by. Mr Jamieson, Commissioner for the R.N.C.A., in connection with the treatment of the overseas soldiers, I would like to state my experience, also whal I have learned from personal observation. In. November, 1915, I was on furlough' in and I can assure you at that time there was no provision made forthe men. I went along with other men to the High Commissioner’s office, where we were met by the New Zealand Ladies’ War Association, who supplied each man with two sets of underclothing. These were provided bv the patriotic societies in New Zea- ; . ■ ;• •, 7 ,-v .. ; :;.>i r .• land. They also provided a complete toilet outfit; in fact, if you let these women alone a man would heed a cart

it-. •> ti } 'jy.( : ’ i.'. i 1 i'i;! to shift his luggage. With regard to -homes for the men, these ladies assisted by the High Commissioner,, found places for our men, and acaK man could leave, his kit, get a \3t bath ? be provided with newspapers from New Zealand. Before I left England, near the close of 1916, I know definitely that there were so many clubs open to the men that these •• )L>J ' '• same New Zealand ladies were entreating our fellows to be loyal to their own clubs . I do think it decidedly unfair to the other societies for Mr Jamieson, to make such sweeping remarks of condemnation. , They, are not able to present their claims in the same way as the Commissioner, yet taken collectively are doing more valuable work. As for the statement that the Government has not brains enough to do anything for the men,, this is absurd. My experience of the military authorities has led me to believe they understand too well the value of the soldier to let him go hungry and homeless. I sometimes think it a pity that modern governments have not been able to invent a term that would convey the same meaning as “Government,” for I feel sure if they did there is a big possibility of them losing a lot of the mud that sticks to them from their predecessors. Experience has in times past taught most people to mistrust the Government, and the reason largsy was because the soldier of the past was not rekpected is to-day. Finding fault with the Government and playing on people’s prejudices is not going to help win the war, —I am, etc. A RETURNED SOLDIER.