THE HAMMER SERPENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9267, 7 February 1916, Page 2

THE HAMMER SERPENT

To the Editor "N.Z. Times. 1 ’ Sir,—lt is mot pleasant to find the trail of the serpent in connection with the invalid soldiers 1 trouble at Hamper. There is an bid French' saying used wherever trouble crops up—"Cherchez la femme 11 ; but we in New Zealand must 'use “Cherchez le wowser- 11 We find at the root of this Hamper trouble a meddling parsonical politician .who, according to your report, had apparently never been to Hanmer to see the soldiers personally, but was nevertheless quite, prepared to complain to the Minister tor Defence that the men were drinking to ' excess- This assertion is now contradicted by the statements of Mr Kutherford and Lieutenant-Colonel Loach, and what strikes one most about the matter is why the Minister for Defence is eo ready to accept and to act on unconfirmed statements of this kind made by the prohibitionists. He is always ready to pooh-pooh and discredit complaints regarding official neglect of oux returned wounded, shortage of pay, etc., but receives bolus bolus any story of drunkenness among the men that the wowsers like to manufacture. Mr Isitt should be officially called to order over

this matter, for if this sort of thing goes on there will he more trouble created. The returned soldiers axe remarkable under the exceptional circumstances in which they are placed for their unobtrusiveness, their general good behaviour, and particularly their sobriety. This wowser interference, and these attempts to impose unmanly restrictions on the men, will have a had effect on recruiting and the general spirit of our forces. If the Defence Minister is wise he will turn a deaf ear in future to these ruthless political prohibitionists who are exploiting war conditions for their own political ends.— I am, etc., "TEN O’CLOCK.”