OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1941, Page 6

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

SERVICE IN FIJI (To the Editor.) Sir—ln spite of the lengthy explanations of the Minister of Defence regarding the treatment of the Fijian detachment, I have no hesitation, in stating that there are many matters in that direction that require improvement. It must be remembered that, owing to excessive perspiration caused by climatic conditions, socks and underwear quickly deteriorate and no provision is made for this in the allotment for troops stationed in Fiji. Consequently the soldiers were forced either to dispense with these articles of clothing or to purchase them. The only alternative was *to pay a fine for kit deficiency. which is entered in red ink in the soldier’s pay-book. No good soldier likes to have fines recorded against him in his pay-book—so. what have you? Another point I would like to mention is in connection with leave on returning to New Zealand. A recent detachment, after nearly eight months in Fiji, were promised three weeks' leave cn returning to New Zealand. Imagine their surprise and disgust, when, on arrival in New Zealand, their leave was reduced to eleven days, including travelling time. On returning to camp at the expiration of three weeks these troops were each fined eighteen days’ pay, in addition to seven days C.B. While discipline must be enforced, I maintain that the punishment was out of all proportion to the crime.—l am. etc., Wm. BRADY. Masterton, July 11.