REGULATION GARMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1917, Page 3

REGULATION GARMENTS.

I A MILITARY ORDER. (Special Correspondent). Wellington, Nov. HI. "No soldier of the New Zealand Ex- 1 petitionary Force of the rank of company sergeant-major or under, either of the Home Service Branch or Foreign Service Branch, shall be permitted to wear the under-mentioned jiticles of clothine except of the authorised regulation pattern and specification: Jackets, trousers, breeches, hoots, puttees, hats, caps, puggarees," runs a notice in General Orders. The instruction is another official attempt to make the New Zealand infantryman wear the regulation "slacks," issued to him on his arrival in camp, instead of the neater and smarter breeches Hint ho generally hastens to purchase for himself. The Defence authorities have winked at -the general wr-aring of breeches by the infantrymen in tlie past, but they feel that there are reasons why the us" of the regiilaiion garments should he insisted upon now. Tlie married men will be going into camp soon and in very many cases they will be giving nearly all their pay to their dependents, retaining for themselves only a few shillings weekly as pocket money. They, or their dependents, would find the purchase of breeches a hardship: vet it will be difficult for one man to avoid the expenditure if his comrades make it. because the man with the breeches admittedly the smarter appearance, and appearance counts f or a great deal in military life. If the trousers as issued are worn by all Ihere will be no hardship to anybody. The trousers are to be worn turned down over Ihc top of the puttees. The objection commonlv urced by the nW acainst the regulation trousers is that they are uncajnlv in appearance and poorly cut. The trouble was accentuated by the cloth nuttees issued until recently in the New Zealand camp.-, since these putiees were stiff and intractable. Woven pul tecs of a very much bet! or pattern are now being provided. Referring to the cut of the trousers, a Defence officer stated yesterday that there was no ground for complaint if the garment-, were worn properly, that was. turned down for several inches over the tops of the puttees. The officers of certain Rritish regiments wore "slacks" in this fashion and they could not be accused of lack of smartness. If a soldier's uniform did not. fit him in any report, he could apply at the quartermaster's store for a change, or, failing that., lie could have the garment altered by one of the tailors doinsj business in the camps. The cost of having both tunic and trousers made to fit accurately would he verv much less thou the price of a. pair of breeches, and (ho result would not merely be smnrt. but would he in accordance with Imperial rc/u!ation«. There is nothing in the regulations to prevent a soldier having his »whelo uniform made by his own tailor providing that the garments are of the' authorised pattern and specification. The Australian infantryman's uniform includes breeches and comparisons have been made unfavorable to New Zealand The fact, is that the Australian authorities designed a uniform of their own,, and they seem to have had regard to the advantages of breeches from the point of -view of the recruiting officer. Now Zealand followed the War Office regulations in the preparation of specifications for t.lio uniforms.