“SASSENACH DUDS"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 244, 16 October 1939, Page 3

“SASSENACH DUDS"

(O.MPLAIXT 1* IPARLIAMENT HIGHLANDERS AND SHORTS SYDNEY, Oct. 9. Life, even in war-time, is not. always deadly serious in the House of Representatives in Canberra, and members recently had one merry little interlude to relieve their worries. There was a. noticeable Highland burr in the voice of the Loader of the Country Party. Mr. Cameron, when he complained in the House that militiamen in camp in South Australia w ere being charged for shorts that I they had to wear. i "VVidd fhe Minister of Defence undertake not to inflict these Sassenach I ‘duds’ on Highland regiments?" he I asked. The laughter that greeted this re- ; quest was renewed when the Minister i of Defence, Mr. Street, xplained that I at the request of Highland regiments, shorts were allowed to be worn in some camps last year. No instructions had been issued that these shorts were to be compulsorily acquired by any unit, he said. But 1500 trainees were equipped with them last year, and only three objected to wearing them. These presumably' were “conscientious objectors." This year as far ax he knew, no trouble had arisen on the question of shorts. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Curtin, interposed; “Were the objectors liquidated?"