LEAVE LIQUOR

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1940, Page 3

LEAVE LIQUOR

NEW REGULATIONS. SOLDIERS RESENTFUL. AUCKLAND, March 12. The regulations under which members of the defence forces will be forbidden to have alcoholic liquor m their possesion while on leave or when travelling were the chief topic of conversation among the troops on leave in the citv last night. Inquiries pursued in various quarters indicated that the “ranks” of all arms of the service were indignant at the issue of regulations under which the majority have restriction of ordinary rights imposed upon them because of the of the few. On the other hand a number ul officers who were consulted expressed approval of the regulations, although none was inclined to pursue the subject when the fact was impressed upon them that they would also offend if, > perchance, they took a bottle of liquor to a social gathering. One military man, an old Digger, now serving on Home Defence, said the regulations would be more honoured ffi the breach than in the observance. ((J • “They are necessary,” he said. >o give the power required to deal with the extreme case.” , He, also, did not pursue the subject when it was suggested that if a law were not properly administered it would fall into disrepute. Resentment against the regulations, it is understood, took the form of a minor demonstrate on at Papakura Camp yesterday morning. In the interval before breakfast and first parade, it is stated, a body of men gathered on a convenient parade ground to protest against the regulations. The burden of a brief speech by one man was “No beer, no parade.” Beta, of course, was available at the canteen at the ordinary times, but reference in this case was to rights when troops are on leave. However, the demonstration, which was little more than an emotional bubble, ended immediately when an officer ordered the men to return to their lines.