MEALS FOR SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 14

MEALS FOR SOLDIERS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —In reply to “Soldier’s Mother” about the Welcome Club, I congratulate the writer on the sentiments expressed. The letter >as submitted to Mrs Kent Johnston, who stated that there was no desire to compete with , restaurants and also that a nominal charge of 6d was imposed for tea at the request of the soldiers themselves. I think it is high time the public were informed just how, and where this money so liberally subscribed by them is used. It is, all eyewash to say that the soldiers wish to pay for their teas. Any reasonable-minded person knows that it is not human to wish to pay for something that can be got for nothing, especially when that something is a just and due reward for services rendered. In any case, where is the man or woman who dares to value the soldier’s life in terms of money? He is offering his all—his very life. I think it is a scandal that, the soldier is asked to pay one cent, especially when the money is subscribed by the public and paid into the Patriotic Fund for the purpose, I hope, of offering the forces, freely small tokens of gratitude such as teas, dances, etc. I met one of our 1 soldiers some few nights ago, and his conversation in no way agreed with Mrs Kent Johnston’s statements as printed in “The Press” in answer to - “Soldier’s Mother.” He told me quite ] frankly that the “boys” were really 1 sore about having to pay at these func- i tions. He further stated that in Dun- i edin, the trams were nc* charging them ] for rides, and that they had to pay i train fares from Burnham Camp to i Christchurch, whereas the public works 1 men got 18s a day and free train fares, j plus pay for travelling time. If the 5 public are expected liberally to sub- j scribe to different funds they will want j to, know that the soldier is receiving j the benefit. —Yours, etc.. , 1 FREE GRATIS AND FOR NOTH- •; TNG, July 19, 1940. The following statement was made by the organiser of the Christchurch Welcome Club (Mrs W. F. Kent-John-ston): -“‘Free, Gratis, or for Nothing shows a.complete lack of appreciation of the actual facts, and the view expressed must represent a very smail minority of the thousands of men passing through the club, who are only I; too pleased to contribute this small amount ■ towards a meal, as distinct . from afternoon tea, supper, dance, and »■ concert.-etc. Those are provided free. v Regarding finance, I can only refer the c correspondent to the honorary secretary of the Patriotic Fund. s I Mr H. S. Feast. Town Clerk, and honorary-secretary of the Canterbury

• Patriotic Fund, said: “I endorse what Mrs Kent-Johnston says about the correspondent’s lack of knowledge of the facts and consider that instead of firing shots in the dark, he should come along to the Welcome Club on Saturday night and find out the true position. I am sure that the 500 or 600 soldiers he will find there will give ’ him a different view from that given ■ him by his informant. The men in- • sisted on subscribing something right • from the start of the club’s activities. } .