"ROOKING" THE SOLDIER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 39, 2 October 1914, Page 6

"ROOKING" THE SOLDIER.

AT THE DRY CANTEEN.

(Auckland Observer.)

When a British tourist travels in Europe or America the tradesmen "see him coming." They look upon him as a dollar tree to be stripped of blossoms as quickly, as possible. When a colonial soldier goes aboard a troopship there is a conspiracy to rook him. If it is possible to sneak his shirts and fill his kit-bag with greasy waste it will be done. Are there any soldier boots that will fit gentlemen residing in Hounsditch or Chatham? Can anybody get half-a-crown for threepen'-orth of garbage? The soldier is bottled up. He is at the mercy of the vendor, as well as the thief. It doesn't seem to be quite known who is the vendor in the case of H.M. troopships that are carrying New Zealand troops. A week or two ago nice, kind ladies were falling over each other to supply pipes, tobacco, and luxuries to the troops. Where are these articles? Surely the "cheese-cutters" haven't fr,ot to work on the "war hats" already ?

, In the Army the canteen is entirely military, and if the canteen non•Jcom., made profit out of it he would be sat on with great vigour and dismissed from the service. Canteen prices are "cut," so that the ill-paid soldier shall not be robbed. A !"Tommy" can buy a razor that will last him for a lifetime for 7d, or for ! a penny more than ho is charged for a bottle of lemonade (which costs |d) on a New Zealand troopship. New Zealand soldiers been to"sea before, and they have, been in the same manner as is now contemplated.- They hava lost goods ranging from, hundredweights of chocolates to a piano, and from cases full of ruptured, rifles to bandoliers. Young soldiers, of course, get excited about trifles. If any barber, for instance, charged one old soldier 3s for a haircut and shave—lie wouldn't be a barber any longer. The remedy is in the soldiers' hands. If the "Tommy" enjoys the luxury of a paid haircut he gives the barber a penny, and would shave himself with a sharpened knife rather thau pay a shark Is 6d to do it.

In the meantime no troopships should leave New Zealand until this canteen business is straightened, out. The authorities should not allow either civilian traders or ships' people to bleed the troops. It is not to be forgotten that these troopships are His Majesty's, troopships, and that the crews of them have no right" to trade privately any more than an'infantry corporal has a right to stick up a rival canteen in the barrack" square. If nlilitary officers allow ships' crews to do as they like aboard ship soldiers will be robbed. They always have been robbed, and unless a big military foot is put on the neck of the wearer of the "cheesecutter" they will be robbed as usual. The prisoners in our gaols get rations of tobacco, and if our soldiers Can't be supplied aboard the King's ships (keep the King's ship idea constantly in view, please) with either luxuries or necessities without being victimised—it's a pity. There would seem to have been no reason why regimental canteens, presided over by a non-com. couldn't have been instituted where gpods could be sold without profit. The introduction of the civilian element into military business is bad. It is also very necessary that the temporary servants of His Majesty who belong to, the marine branch of the business should be definitely put in their correct places with regard to trading with the troops. They have no right so to trade.