SOLDIERS AND LIQUOR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16822, 30 May 1919, Page 5

SOLDIERS AND LIQUOR.

LAW.TO BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. , (Per Press Association.) 1 I WELLINGTON, May 29. Numerous complaints are being received regarding intoxicating liquor on troop trains, especially with regard to returning troops. Consequently the Defence Department has specially directed the attention of its officers to the War Regulations under which it was made an offence to bring intoxicating liquor on to a troop train 2 and impressed upon them the necessity for the enforcement of these regulations. Clause 14 of the War Regulations of November 15, .1915, not only makes it an offence to have intoxicating liquor on a troop train, but also to supply liquor to any person being carried on a troop train. The Crown Law Office advises that the expression "being carried on a troop train'' must be read as applicable not only to those men, who for the time being are actually on board the train, but also to men who, during the course of their journey, may be at any time temporarily off the train. The term ''troop train" is denned in the regulations and includes not only a train wholly reserved for purposes of the Defence Forces, but also a carriage on an ordinary train wholly or chiefly used by those Forces.

The greatest efforts are to be made to secure convictions against civilians who supply liquor to troops on troop trains.