RETURNING SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17935, 14 May 1920, Page 5

RETURNING SOLDIERS

A WANGANUI INCIDENT.

UNIFORM INSULTED.

(Fbom OvjL Own Correspondent.) 'WANGANUI, May 13. The conduct' of several returned soldiers on tho occasion of tho Prince's visit was scathingly denounced at tho annual meeting of the Returned Soldiers' .Association last night, and Lieutenant Walea, of tho Defence Staff, appealed to all soldiers to safeguard ' the name "Digger," which hitherto had been associated with soldiers and gentlemen. Hβ said it eeemed to him that somo men considered that to be a "Digger" entitled them to make a loud noise and insult the King's uniform. On the parade referred to two sergeant-majors (one a Main Body man) had been grossly insulted by some returned eoldiere. Ho considered that it was wrong for the RS.A. to allow this eort of thing to go on. He contended that men in civilian olothes should respect the uniform they onco wore, and no man should chuck unnecessary mud at others in uniform. Hβ considered that. mc-n who went out of their way to insult others in uniform should be expellod from tho association. The statement provoked a good deal of dieouasion, in tJie course of which tho president admitted that he had occasion to Speak to two" men in the rear rank for playing "ttro-up," but he thought it was done more in tho spirit of bravado than *or any other intention. They censed when spoken to. Lieutenant Wales replied that tho Defence Department Staff looked for kelp from tho returned men. Tho department had no soheme before it at present, and was doing; tho beet it could under tho ciroumstanees to train lads. Personally, ho did not think the returned soldiers were taking enough interest in the training of the youths, and should come and help. The Defence Department wanted the help of tho returned men. Without a scheme it was difficult to train the boye, •moro especially as the training consisted of only an hour and a-half- per week.'