Why No "Canteen Orders" For Territories?

Territories?

THE following letter was sent by the editor of the “P.1.M.” to the Deputy Postmaster General, Sydney:— “We were asked by one of the Govern ment departments to publish in the ‘P.I.M.’ a paragraph giving publicity to the ‘Canteen Order’ arrangement—a re quest which we were happy to accede to.

We assumed, naturally, that as the can teen orders could be purchased at any Australian postal money order office, and as New Guinea and Papua have con tributed men liberally to the A.1.F., this admirable system would extend also to the money order offices of Papua and New Guinea. To-day, on enquiring of your department, we learned to our astonishment that this is not the case.

“Would you please let me know, for publication, why this ‘Canteen Order’ arrangement is being withheld from the Australian Pacific Territories? Are the friends and relations of A.I.F. men in Papua and New Guinea not as much en titled to this privilege as similar people in Australia? In fact, owing to their geographical position, have they not an even greater claim upon this method oi transferring gifts to their soldier friends?”

“Canteen orders” are issued in denom inations of 5/-, 10/- and 20/-, and may be used by the soldier to buy anything stocked in the canteen in his camp— where goods are sold at low prices.

Mr. J. S. Milligan, of Wide Bay, New Britain, arrived in Sydney in September and proceeded to Melbourne on leave.