DEFENCE MATTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9721, 25 July 1917, Page 6

DEFENCE MATTERS

A NICE CUP OF TEA QUESTIONS RAISED IN PARLIAMENT. “Is the tea supplied to tho camps satisfactory ?” was a question raised in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr AV. X. Jennings, vl.l . for Taumarunui, who asked the Minister for Munitions whether he was satisfied that the quality of tea supplied to tho men at Trentham and If Gather - ston was acceptable to them. He had had complaints, ho said, from botli camps as to tho quality of the tea. Some of tho men said that, whether the tea itself was bad or it was spoilt in the making, it was absolutely undrinkable.

Tho Hon. Arthur Myers replied that the tea could bo purchased much cheaper than was now the case; hut in dealing with tenders, especially in regard to food and drinkables, quality was always tho first consideration. (Hear, hear.) That was the first occasion on which ho had had any complaints as to the tea. He had .always understood that it was very acceptable to tho men in camp. But ho would make inquiries. Later Mr G. Witty (Ricearton) asked tho Minister whether tenders had been called for the tea, and what was die brand of tea supplied to camps, Mr Myers said that the practice was, unless in exceptional cases, to call for tenders for tea and all other supplies. To the best of his knowledge tenders had been called for; but, without making inquiries, he could not say what was the brand of the tea.

MEDALS FOR MOTHERS AND WIVES.

A question asked of the Defence ■Minister yesterday by Dr Thacker (Christchurch East) was as /to whether he had considered the suggestion that medals should be provided for soldiers’ mothers and wives. The Australian Defence Authorities had approved of the Issue of medals to the wife or mother or nearest female relative of members of the Expeditionary Forces, the Nursing Service, and so forth. He thought that an ideal thing to do. Sir James Allen replied that ho had considered the idea many times, but had not seen his way to recommend it. He didn’t think that it would bo acceptable to many of the mothers themselves. The nurses, of course, would be entitled to medals.

CLASSIFICATION OF INJURIES. The Minister for Defence was requested by Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West) to restate the classification of injuries'of members of the Expeditionary Forces, as returned from time to time from Homo hospitals, in order that tho gradation of injuries might be familiar to tho people. Sir James Alien said that he would be glad to do so. Those classified as “seriously wounded 11 might be considered as bad cases, though there was a very good possibility of their recovery. Tho “dangerously wounded” had every chance of recovery; of tjhe “wounded 11 it was more than probable that all would recover and go back *to the front again. When a man improvbd in the “seriously wounded” class, ha was moved to tho “dangerously wounded” class, and that showed that ho was very nearly out of danger; while when a man improved in the “dangerously wounded” class ho was moved to the “wounded class.”