ANGRY SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 29, 3 August 1942, Page 6

ANGRY SOLDIERS

A SPEECH Tb SYNOD

(P, A.) BLENHEIM, This Day.. Some 200 servicemen marched from the town on Saturday evening and demonstrated at: the residence of Mr: W. J . Girling, a prominent. local > citizen, as'-a protest against remarks which he: made at' a meeting. of the Nelson Synod last week , regarding the > need for • women police and the observance of!the licensing laws. Mr.. Girling.said at the' Synod that there seemed to be a ispecial concession in some towns for soldiers to" frequent hotels up till 10 o'clock on week nights and until 1 a.mi oh* Sundays. That ■ the ,speech, which \yas-.published on Friday, was resented. byi 'men, -'of the 'v. armed forces was evjdeht by the assembly, of. groups : in. town on Saturday • evening -who frequently had to;: be ■ mbved; oh by the police.; .Canvas blinds on Mr.; Girling's, shop ' were ripped .before the ■ large pai:ty 'of \ men went to" his residence; •. •*A- noisy demonstration was"termin-* ated by the tactful intervention of a senior-sergeant' of police : and • a constable: There / are *no . wet canteens in'i the, camps in Maryborough, arid the incident lends > point -to. a strong local feeling that ;this deficiency might be remedied. "Women and girls; do; not' frequent -the' camps or the approaches, to! them," declared -Nathan, replying to another;-allegation byl* Mr; Girling in -his ; Synod speech. "Thisfoolish and ill-considered outburst .has •ho}, doubt -.."caused ",'dis'tr'ess to many/ mothers:of men in camp.;. I would like to iassurethernvthat the statement is»not true.' ; Their sons: are■ not being laid by. unruly women ;and girls.''