REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 13

REGIMENTAL UNIFORMS

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In reply to the letter of “Colonised ” in this morning’s Daily Times, may I point out that there is no suggestion of the Otago Regiment changing its uniform? The proposals made by several of your correspondents suggest that in addition to the khaki uniform issued by the Governmeui for general training purposes the regiment should have a fulldress uniform for ceremonial parades. The Otago Regiment is recruited in a Scottish community, it is allied with a Scottish unit—the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), with which unit it has maintained close touch. What better fulldress could be adopted, therefore, than the tartan trews, glengarries, and khaki jackets such ns are worn by the allied Scottish unit Pull dress uniforms have been w’orn by New Zealand Territorial units in the past and it is most probable that, if they are adopted again, they will do much to stimulate enthusiasm in the volunteer units of to-day. Another correspondent refers to the question of expense, and states that the taxpayer hag enough to pay at present. I agree most i heartily, but no suggestion has been made that the Government, and indirectly the taxpayer, should bear the cost of the full-dress uniform. There is no reason why the tartan trews and glengarries should not be made by one of the local firms, and the alterations necessary could quite easily be made to the standard pattern khaki tunics. The money to finance this scheme could be raised by the efforts of the regiment, assisted by those of our citizens who are interested.—l am, etc., Keen Territorial. Dunedin, June 13.