DRUNKENNESS AMONG SOLDIERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16668, 13 April 1916, Page 7

DRUNKENNESS AMONG SOLDIERS.

INTERESTING STATISTICS A GOOD RECOED.

(Pee United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April 12. "Statistics that have been placed before •me convince me that there is lees drunkenness among soldiers than among ordinary civilians, in spite of the special temptations that are placed m the way of soldiers," said the Minister of Defenco to-night. "Since the inauguration of the camps only three men have been dismissed from the forces for drunkenness. I have had a return prepared, showing tho charges of drunkenness heard by the military authorities during the months of December, January, and February. There were 143 cases in the Featherston camp out of some 7000 men, and 4 cases at Trentham out of 4500 men. Then there were 38 cases at the Narrow Neck camp, making a totnl of 266 cases in three months among some 12,000 men—most o{ them young. Ten men at Trentham and six men at Narrow Neck were charged with the offence on more than one occasion. I find that, during.the same /period, 633 males and 62 females were convicted of drunkenness by the civil courts in Wellington City, in addition to 106 soldiers. Previous convictions had been recorded against 68 of the male civilians, 27 of the females, and eight of the soldiers. The only conclusion I can draw from these figures is that the amount of drunkenness among soldiers is less than among civilians."