"FREE KIT."

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 11, 12 January 1918, Page 13

"FREE KIT."

WHAT IT MEANS TO THE NAVY. By the grant of "free kit" to the Navy "Jack" obtains a concession which he has long sought from the Admiralty, says a correspondent of the "Daily Mail." In a succession of Lower-Deck "Magna Chartas" this boon has been earnestly craved for some yeans past, and its coming is all the more welcome because it is unexpected. Always "Jack" has deemed it a great injustice, certainly it was an anomaly, that while the soldier and the marine wore what could accurately be described as "the King's Uniform," since the State provided it free* the sailor has had to purchase his own clothing, at a cost of several pounds yearly, out of his anything but princely pay. What used to annoy him even more than this was that although he had to buy the clothes his superiors frequently ordered them at their own pleasure, poor "Jack" having no voice in the matter. In the brave old days each captain of a warship used to dress his crew to suit his own fancy. When continuous service, and a uniform "rig" as a corollary to it, came in, this custom did not wholly cea6e. Even until recent years it has obtained in some degree. A bluejacket moved from one ship to had to get himself a new cap riband. And as different captains had different ideas of what constituted "uniform,", he often had to purchase some new clothing as well. There exists in the Navy an old custom known as "muster, by open list." When this is ordered each man has to step into a chalked ring, give his name and rating, and submit himself to inspection generally. Should the mustering officer not be satisfied with a sailor's appearance he would order, "Put this man down for a new jumper," a new pair of trousers, or whatever else he deemed necessary to make the man look smart. The officer ordered, and against his fiat there was no appeal—but the bluejacket paid. He could . not help doing so, as the money was deducted from his wages: At "captain's inspection" on a Sunday morning also men were often "put down" for new clothing in this way. A commanding officer must, of course, see that his men are properly dressed. The hardship came in when. a "faddy" captain ordered sailors to purchase new garments .merely because those they wore did not conform to his ideas of ! what "cut" should be, though in other ways they might be perfectly good and of regulation pattern. "Free kit" means the end of this vexatious custom, if it means anything at all. Although it is smart and natty a bluejacket's dress appears to be of a quite workmanlike simplicity. Yet the official list shows that, counting "compulsory" and "non-compulsory" articles "petty officers and men dressed as seamen" (bluejacket ratings, In every-day language) have about one hundred different things in their wardrobe. These range from jumpers (tunics) to cholera belts —and ail cost money. Having these issued to him free, instead of being compelled to purchase them, will make a ' considerable difference to "Jack's" [pocket. And to the numerous ratings who are not "dressed as seamen"—such as writers and others —the financial gain will be greater still.