CONSTABULARY BARRACK ACCOMMODATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1725, 26 July 1883, Page 2

CONSTABULARY BARRACK ACCOMMODATION.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir; — In your issue of the sth inst., "One who knows" directed the attention of your readers to the absence of a building available in time of need as a hospital for sick constables. Your correspondent on that occasion made allusion to work being done to officers quarters, but omitted to mention the senior non-cojunissioned officer*' quarters, which have absorbed by far too much of the time of the carpenters, etc., belonging to the A.C. Force in Cambridge. I would like to enquire, as a disinterested party, what has become of the thousands of feet of timber, sawn by the Alexandra bush party, and brought by the Government dray to Cambridge ? Considering that Cambridge is the head quarters of the force in Waikato, the lack of accommodation on the station is far from creditable to the powers that be. As "One who Knows " pointed out, the men (and junior noncommissioned officers) whether well or ill, are all obliged to sleep together in illventilated barrack rooms, some of the men without a bed-cot to lje upon, and yet (-toverntnent timber and Government time are being used in making furniture, or in otherwise improving officers' or sergeant-major's quarters. And again, , why is there not a library and readingroom in connection with the barracks ? Is it *ny wonder that a man occasionally imbibes too freely at one or other pi our hotels, and gets into disgrace ? ; The fact is,' Mr Editor, there is no comfort for serein tis 1 or 'men in the barracks, so r they must'.perfdrce' travel' abroad 'in quest of it. 'Member* "of tne'fbr'ce, like all other IjGrOvernjnent employed, , are. precluded from seeking '^'redress ' ! , of * ' their grievances" tKroiigh the public pfeu, but those griev. } ances are none the' less rejiL And' I feel 'wsifred.tli'at the ''attention; of the officer" in command bfSthe s district needs' but to be directed Waueh^a' matter/^and he 1 will, without Wmomeni'sneaijtatibri, throw his* linfluencp itilo" the^sbaW'on ,^the sijde, of $gh##d jwtf jcef ? Isf or r i*r§Bl , fpa«smg,io,fagu|og^ou^yalqable ;^paoe,