“GET IT CUT.”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 217, 31 August 1911, Page 2

“GET IT CUT.”

LONG HAIR ON PARADE” INDIGNANT TERRITORIALS. Auckland, Aug. 29. When a staff-sergeant-major startled the members of a local Territorial company recently with the laconic but peremptory remark. “I see a number of you men are wearing your hair too long—get is cut,” it was thought that tiie observation applied only to those who were over careless in permitting an excessive growth, since their hair was not unduly long and not straggling into their eyes or down the neck of their collars.

The majority of the members felt quite at case on the matter, hue to their surprise and annoyonce such remarks were made at the usual parade of the company last night as to cause the subject to assume a serious aspect. The corps was assembled in parade order and divided into half sections, and the sergeant-major proceeded to examine different squads. The remarks addressed to the men before the inspection were brief and to the point—“a lot cf you men have not got your hair cut yet. You can never be soldiers with hair like that. It docs not matter about the girls; got it cut.” ♦ Each man was then subjected to a searching examination, and there were few t.hat were net rebuked for wearing their liair “far too long.’ To the ordinary observer the hair of the mi >i in quo: lion did not seen; excessively long, and in the ease oi some of thi.se who came under the ofliecr’s censure it locked decidedly short.

It would ainicar, however, that a close clip (almost a “gaol clip”) is to be insisted upon under the new scheme.

Seen bv a "Star” representative after iiarade, members expressed gre-’i indignation, at the treatment Ibid bad luen meti.d our to them, ami several stated boldly that they were not going about vvitli a ('cnvict cut just because lliey had to go to drill mice a week. A member, whose hair was “too Ic.ng,” accompanied a reporter to a well-known hairdresser’s this morning and was examined by an expert, who stated that his hair was much shorter than was usually worn.

Inquiries made at the Defence office elicited the information that, according to the regulations, tlie men could wear their hair as they pleased ordinarily, but had to have it of pr-per length on parade, which occurred. once a week. Of course, on the interpietation of ‘proper length’ hangs the whole tale.