MORAL CONDUCT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 64, 12 September 1942, Page 8

MORAL CONDUCT

THE ARMED FORCES

A REBUTTAL OF CHARGES

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH,, Sept. 11

"Statements being made alleging insobriety and moral delinquency.on the part of servicemen in Christchurch are in my estimation very far-fetched, and if any social worker wants information I will be happy to give him all particulars proving the good behaviour of the armed forces when on leave," said Mr. T. Smith, secretary of the Union Jack Club, in an interview today.

In the two years that the club had been open there had been 1,045,250 visits by servicemen, and more than 40,000 had slept on the premises, Mr. Smith said. Only one man had had to be evicted for bad behaviour. The officials had never had to call in the military police. The civil police had been called in on that one occasion to evict a soldier whose insobriety was linked with a mental lapse. The club, which was the home in Christchurch for men from places outside Christchurch, had thousands of pounds' worth of furniture, and not one item had been wilfully broken. The behaviour of the men had been excellent.

Mr. Smith said he was speaking as a man who had gone through the last war and had seen clubs in various parts of the world.

The liquor question had never come into the club. When petrol was available the club instituted a patrol system of the city, to pick up inebriated servicemen, but the service was dispensed with because it was unnecessary. Drunkenness in the club was nil.

His statement could be vouched for by the 305 business men of the city who were voluntary workers. He was certain that if those now attacking the moral conduct of troops were to visit the club he could convince them that their beliefs were ill founded. Most of the men who slept at the .club came from dances and social entertainments, and practically all were in bed by 1 a.m., shortly after the dances had finished. Every night the 113 beds and 50 shake-downs were used.. "