SHABBY UNIFORMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 9

SHABBY UNIFORMS.

DRAB AND COLOURLESS

N.Z. CORONATION TROOPS.

POINTED CRITICISM. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON', Saturday. Pointed criticism of the uniforms worn by the troops who represented New Zealand at the Coronation was expressed by Mr. B. H. Wilkinson, of Oamaru, and other passengers who arrived by the Rangitiki from London on Saturday. Mr. Wilkinson-said the contingent from New Zealand was equal to the finest type of manhood. It was most disappointing to find their uniforms, in sad contrast to those of other units.

"It was a wonderful advertisement for New Zealand to send over such a fine body of men, and a wonderful gesture, which I feci sure was appreciated by the British troops and the huge crowds, with whom our boys were moat popular," Mr. Wilkinson said. "It was a great pity indeed that they were not given decent uniforms to wear. When the contingents were marching in the procession on Coronation Day it was easy to see how shabby and colourless their dress was. It seemed to all New Zealanders that there was a very big mistake. They could not show themselves off as their position warranted and they could not live up to the advertisement."

Other passengers who saw the Coronation procession agreed with Mr. Wilkinson's remarks. "It was bad enough hearing Londoners say how colourless they looked, and just as bad realising that it was true," said a Dunedin woman who saw the troops. "Physically they looked perfect," said another woman visitor to London, "but those awful uniforms robbed them of all show." "We felt mighty proud of our troops when we saw them swinging along and maching with the pick of other soldiers," said a Hawke's Bay farmer. "We are still proud of them, but their uniforms took most of the gold off their appearance,'' Rousing Welcome. Hundreds of people at the King's wharf and in the streets of Wellington gave a rousing welcometo members of the New Zealand military contingent to the Coronation when they returned by the Rangitiki this afternoon. Members of the contingent had a splendid voyage home, and all arrived fit and well and thoroughly satisfied with their experiences in Great Britain. The Governor-General, Lord Galway, the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, the general officer commanding the New Zealand Defence Forces (MajorGeneral J. E. Duigan), the president.of the New .Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, the Hon. W. Perry, MX.C. went on board to welcome the members of the contingent. Lord Galway inspected the contingent on the promenade deck and chatted with the officers and a number of the men.