CANTEENS IN CAMP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 April 1913, Page 4

CANTEENS IN CAMP.

In our issue 4 ' of yesterday we published the following Jetter firom a co-respondent signing himself "Parent" : "Sir, —I am informed that, in the orders issuel by Colonel Tate, .it is provided tint there will be a canteen at the !)ringi Camp. I want . to know, as the narent of one of the Territorials, why a canteen is thought necessary. I personally object to my son going into a camp where liquor is to be procured." When we received the above letter, we made the inquiries that we considered necessary by consulting the Brigade Camp Standing Orders issued by Colonel Tate. We found there this paragraph : , "Canteen. —There will be a Brigade Canteen, which will be open as follows: (Here follow the hours.) The Field Officer of the day will visit the Canteen daily." We confess that, on reading this paragraph, we concluded, as "Parent" had concluded, that it was proposed to establish a canteen at which liquor would be available. We took the trouble, however, to quote another paragraph from the General Orders, in which it was made an offence to take liquor into the camp, and we suggested that the canteen would be under proper supervision. We now learn that the Brigade Adjutant has sent out a circular to each Territorial, in which it is explicitly stated that the canteen is to be a "dry" one, i.e., for the sale of "soft" drinks only. The only liquor that will be in the camp will be a little brandy, to be administered by the medical officer when absolutely required. Thi s is entirely satisfactory. Our correspondent is right when he says that there will be a canteen at the camp, for the orders did not state (what the Act requires) that the canteen shall be a. "dry" one. "Parent" will no doubt be relieved at -the explanation given by the Brigade Adjutant.