TREATING SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1916, Page 6

TREATING SOLDIERS.

DRINK AND CIGARETTES. (Fram Oiu' Own Correspondent.)' , Wellington, Jan. 10. Referring to liis protests against the practice of "shouting" for soldiers, the Defenco Minister (Hon. J. Allen) toid your correspondent to-day that the evidence before him showed the trouble to be particularly serious ijj the south. Wellington saw the soldiers in large numbers every day and was not likely now to [overwhelm the men with attention. The ;men came into the city in groups from the various camps, moreover, and they tended to keep together, not mixing largely with civilians. But when tho soldiers went away on leaver they were exposed to many temptations and he was thoroughly in earnest in asking the general public not to let generosity towards the men in khaki take the form of alcoholic drink. He-could quote cases where promising young soldiers had been spoiled by drinking habits that had their origin in excessive "shouting.'' The evil affected the men who had returned from the front as well as those who were in training. Many people appeared to have an idea that they could display their own patriotism by buying drinks for convalescent soldiers, and the results in some cases were simply disastrous.

The Defence authorities are exercised to some extent by tho cigarette problem as well as by the "shouting" evil. There is definite medical evidence that some of the men in training, as well as some of the invalided men, are smoking too many cigarettes. A man who has used cigarettes in moderation in civilian life tends to increase his allowance in camp. He feels "fit" and finds the cigarettes comforting during the daily round. But presently he shows the effects, in his shooting, his powers of. endurance, and his ability to resist throat troubles. Among the invalided men the trouble has become particularly pronounced in certain cases. The Defence Minister may have something to saV on this subject presently.