Troopships Were Mot Always Luxury Liners

Northern Advocate, 24 February 1940, Page 10

Troopships Were Mot Always Luxury Liners

wonder one of the veterans of "*■ the last war, arriving at Egypt, expressed amazement that the present day Anzacs were being paid for their services. Mushrooms and steaks, camp hotels, luxury liners and Chinese stewards were not even dreamed of by the men of 1914-18. Unbeknown to the military authorities, there has fallen into the hands of the Private D a copy of “The Maunganifian,” one pf the many unofficial journals of the First New. Zealand Expeditionary Force. It was produced, between spells of mal-de-mer, by members of the Fifth Reinforcements travelling on that troopship, and abounds in bon mots and army jokes. Probably parents and friends will shortly be receiving copies of similar publications produced by the boys of the 1940 pleasure fleet.

T'HE metamorphisis which comes from sea sickness is well portrayed in a verse. The Chameleon Soldier, one besting with martial ardour un it ihe lia.osport is at sea. Ke resolves finally "That when to w:r J go again, I'i journey in a train.” but the 1940 conIviger.t will probably have a different o _ Book.

"OEVEREND GUY THORNTON, who '*•*' left the Whangarei Baptist Church to sail as chaplain captain, had some very sound moral advice to give. He inUikrded it with tips whlcn may be worth passing on to members of the Second and Third Echelon. “Don’t eat native-made ice-creams. You don’t know how and where they are made. Avoid strawberries; the natives clean them before sale by putting them in their mouths. Be careful, very careful. to clean lettuce well before eating. Don’t pay what the native dealer first asks. To do so might cause him to die of heart failure. He never expects to get his first price. Divide it by at least half or one-third and you get somewhere near the real value.”

Ttie Inside Jtery

r pEA. A BLEND THAT IS UNIQUE. It’s “Different!” It’s “Wonderful” It’s Like Nothing Else On Earth. you have tasted THIS TEA you know not how many different flavours can be combined in one fluid. pRAGRANT! i pUNGENT! POWERFUL! Taste and Try! Drink and Die. Again, the back page is dedicated to extolling easy prices and big values at the Canteen. “This magnificent Emporium", the legend runs, “is replete with full stocks of every possible need of the soldier not on active servio ■ You w>Tl find that the canteen is always closed when you want it open. fop,,. late your wants. The Canteen is always open during the riwh of the hungry ones in and out of the mess-room. Thus, when you do your shopping, you are sur" to meet s ]] the very best po-Die “dm't v’ knew," The OM. will sell you r canteen ticket if he is in e g~od temper. If he i'-n’t you must borrow one. Some people prefer to do this always. It is true economy.” Even on the wetm- the canteens of tpr-c-. rlnvs were dry. The Printerman. as friend Kupe says, is leering over mv shoulder, but, if snare permits, and the censor does not forbid, more extracts from “The Maunganuian” Vol 1, No 1. may appear in this column next week.