WASTE IN CAMPS

Southland Times, Issue 17734, 11 August 1917, Page 5

WASTE IN CAMPS

GIFT GOODS NEVER SOLD. COMFORTS IN HOSPITALS. (Special to the Times;. WELLINGTON, August 10. “It is almost impossible to avoid a ceri tain amount of waste in the military i camps,” said the Minister for Defence (Sir James Allen i in the House to-day. “I have examined into this question over and over again. We are now trying to adopt some new idea of our own which I hope will have some beneficial results. The waste that docs take place is not all loss.” “I deny absolutely that gift goods have ever been sold in the canteens. This charge j was first made about the troops in Egypt, j It was fully examined into there and proved Ito be without foundation. The gift goods j are kept entirely separate, and are not used jon the transports. The prices charged in the canteens on shipboard and in the camps are fixed, and price lists are posted for the information of the men.” “Complaint has been made that men in the hospitals are charged for comforts. The position is that gifts are distributed to the men in the hospitals. The men do not need anything else, but some of the men wish to buy extras for themselves. They are allowed to do so, and the expenditure is debited against their pay, most of which accumulates while they are in hospital.” "Parcels for the soldiers are sent forward whenever opportunity offers. A clearance was made at the end of May last. Some of the parcels may have been in the stores for two or three months at that time, but there had been no opportunity of sending them away before. I have never shielded an officer who deserved punishment. 1 do shield officers from unjustifiable attacks by men who do not know what they are talking about.”