FASTIDIOUS VOLUNTEERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 15 April 1909, Page 8

FASTIDIOUS VOLUNTEERS.

WELLINGTON, April 15.

In connection with the complaints concerning alleged defective arrangements for the transport of troops to Canterbury for the Easter manoeuvres, the General Manager of Railways says: "There is always trouble in regard to volunteers. They consider in many cases that they should receive much greater consideration than is extended to the ordinary public, and yet they are supposed to be acting under war conditions. We do the best we can for them, but our experience has not been satisfactory. There is considerable lack of discipline, and as a general rule we don't get-much assistance from officers. At Oringi encampment things went off very successfully, and the officers worked admirably and gave every assistance. We only have a certain amount of rolling stock, and I take it that women and children have first claim on covered carriages. Most of the volunteers are young men, and most of them would put up with far greater inconvenience to attend an athletic contest or play in a football match."