LIQUOR ON TROOP TRAINS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 74, 28 March 1919, Page 5

LIQUOR ON TROOP TRAINS

PATHETIC OCCURRENCES. MOTHERS MEET SDKS WBGaRE DRUNK.REGULATIONS -TO BE. ENFORCED.; j (United Press Aseociation) ... WELLINGTON, Mar/ 27/ ■ A statement'about the regulation's regarding the supply of liquor to returned soldiers travelling on troop trains was made by the Minister of Defence..“There is a matter,” said the Mink;' ter, “which I should like to bring under tho notice of-the public. It is the : question of supplying liquor to soldiers on trains. I don’t think the public realise thebe are regulations in existence Which prohibit this, and I want to : call • attention to it in, order that if the-pt?; " gulationS' should he enforced in future j more stringently the pubic may, not bp .taken by surprise. The necessity .for-it arises owing to the fact that liquor.liiitfbeen supplied to soldiers on trodp 1 . trains. I had a very pathetic lettesr from a lady the other day, a portion of .. which I will quote. I should. say this, .. is' -only one-of several similar com*/ ■plaints I have received. The writer ' says; , : : : • , ■ ■ • • * ‘Tt is' a most .pathetic' sight to-, D see a mother, meet her soldier son.. • ; - who- Is drunk. Our hearts ached the-other day when one of our most • - respected families had this mortification only a few days ago.' A weeping mother was seen guiding hennstaggeri-ng boy along- our rail- ; ,|; jway platform.” '/■'■:. : - Sir James Allen continued; “Tim ... Government has considered the question ’of closing the hotel bars, dose to railway stations when the trains carrying -jt soldiers- are going through, but there-N. fVe diffioultiek - about doing..'thuu v 'the Government are of opinion thatr,it •mav he more advisable to administer strictly the regulations. I draw atten-/ • tion to clause 4 nf the regulations of ylnlv makes it an offence to have in- . liquor on troop trains, ...but also/to supply liquor to any person hcing, carried in a troop train. The expression ‘being carried ii» a droop train’ must be read as applicable not only;to' / those men who for the time being Sw Actually on board the train, but abo-tp men who'during- the course of. their ■ train journey may at any- time he.-off 1 Ihe train, e.g.. men who temporarily ; leave the train at a railway station. The term “troop train” is defined' inthe War Regulation pamphlet as-'be- / ing not ohly a train rekArted for the purposes of the Defence Forges, but also as an ordinary, Laid wholly ■ ;or chiefly used for the. csrrmca of men ( , of the forces. .1 havK written' tq/thq Minister in charge of Police, rfiekipg r him ti> take- special steps to ■ seujtijfidi |h<(se - Hr© mtridy j&rripd> : on, and I* want to appeal-to tho,|mhli§' of New Zealand, to assist the Defence. Department in their very earnest «n* ■ deavours to return soldiers to their , homes without any of the evil conge-/ qnences of over indulgence ‘ cating liquor. There is no doubt about the need for these precautions^' I, sajv myself the most urgent ' Heed for;.it. when T was ■ travelling in a train .which crossed a troop -train at -a. way etgtion. When our train was approaching- £$ number of men, some of them wearing returned soldiers’ badges,- others, . of them- wearing uniform, who were pft doubtedlv the worse for. liquor, got Out of the troop train. Some of thcymeu actually crossed .the track in /^mpt r ' of our train to get on to...the platfdnn-, and it seemed to me timpSbwaA-. jUSfy’d danger of a eferious accident happening. I felt; greatly, relieved.. wheßt.ou* t train got out of .the, station wyhqut any such accident 1 - occurring. positively: to -men Ah^nselves to have men Tinder the influence of liquor travelling in trains. If an accident should happen ‘ from this 'cause . I don’t think the Railway Department could he blamed, and the Defence Decould./aot bo t Jsain€dj. but civilians who defy the by supplying liquor to soldiers on trains mu At Ire blamed.” ... V.