STATEMENTS CHALLENGED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 126, 29 May 1915, Page 6

STATEMENTS CHALLENGED

UNGENEROUS TO SOLDIERS. An anonymous letter has been received by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen), in which the writer makes virulent complaint about what is 'alleged to be tho present bad behaviour of soldiers in this city. The Minister handed the letter to a representative of The Post this morning, with some strong comments upon the complaints, and the wa.y they .were made. The writer of the letter .refers to the "disgraceful and disorderly conduct that takes place in tho vicinity of, and at, the Thorndon Station by members of the. Expeditionary Foice, who become the worse of liquor, particularly on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. . . The evil has now become worse than,, ever." The writer claims to be living near the railway station to witness all this, and suggests various ways of stopping it. "I publish the letter,"' said Mr. Allen, "and regret that I have not' the name of the writer in order that he or she- might establish these statements or otherwise. The reports that have come to me are that there is a vast improvement in the condition of the men at Trentham. and I have no complaints from the Railway Department. I challenge the statements of the writer. Let the writer come forward and make them openly."