DISMISSED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 98, 18 January 1908, Page 7

DISMISSED.

; . : ——V- — . ' • AN ALLEIQATION AND A DENIAL. . In our. issue of ybst'erday • tliorb appeared n.paragraph froiii tho "Gatttte," iinnouiicing that,four members of.Volunteer corps had ; been,- dismissed;: .three i.fbr' insubordination, »nd one for , using insulting language to his superior blficcr. . Athong the was ex-Sorgoant-Major William Talbutj of tlib Horotaunga .Mounted Ilillcs. This noii-eom-nnssioiitd officer aiieges, iii a stateriieilt riiade ! to our M'oprcsentativo, that lie is ignorant of thc'fcauses'of his dismissal, iind that his applicationl for an inquiry—to- Which lie is en-, titled - under- the Defence Regulations—has been ignored. About. twelve months ago, lie fctates,there was tj-dllhlc ill the corps , over the sale, to membe'h of bthbr cbrjis, bf• siir-, Eor "some "years pi'cviotls the practico -.had been, to sell this surpllis ammunition, tho proceeds Jibing handed br.br tb the shooting conitnitteb for disbursements in connection with the upkeep "of ■matoriat,- targets, aiid so- on. Rightly bt ■wrbngly, ;tho,;pr6vibus ,ofTiccrs of the, cbrii-' jiany: had, says ox-Sergeant-Major Talbiit, granted tlieir permission for these salos. SVHbn the plbs'erit' cbmpaiiy fcoiiimander, Captain Saniileij waS. elected to.tlio positioiij tlio amrminition camo under his notice, i i»iid Uifi ofdored, in: ihto tlib oir'ciiiiistinces! boiihfected. ivith. tlieseVsalcs. - At this enquiry, .says • Mr.' Talbut,- the, ox-officers of ithe : ib}jip.ariy,gav'o/evidfeilfct!-that the irieii bid ; bebn granted ..pbrihiasllpi'i t6 sell. Bilhjlus, aiiinlunifcioii; ;oil, tile., iiridSrstSiiiliiig;.fhit'''.the. am'oillVts ,received Iy6r6 handed oyer -to, the sHobtlrig. pbniiliittce;.TJio '6|iti3 . of .slibivihg '.that_.tli.ia: had heon thexa'se.was placed;iipoii ' Mr/ Talbiit,: aS. Scfgeaht-Majbr;. Tho. silbjeet siibseqpbritly..dropped,'.artd,,-matters apparently ,Aveiit,bii, smobthiy. v ■~''. >... br .eSplanafcbn, Mf: : jTalbut .was-dismissed. Hp siiys ho applied to the Head Ofiico for.iilfqrnijitibiV as to ' what caiises had led to his tiisri'iissalj and also for an fehqitivy. His application Was igiibrfcd. T.hb biiij; hypothesis upon,.which Mr. ..Talbut sbliid; fritrib . d ..working theory is that the ollicer cohirHaiiding. tho company, diniipprflvbd 6f :hini,' - possibly'■ considering . liini to-he -. a libstilo/clomeiit. in tlib corps. Just . bcforo liis .diSiiiisSai Mr: /Talbut .had organised a sirlbko'cdhcfert. iii Captain . Samuel's honour,. lib'.fMntioHs'tiiis as'an'iiitiicatioh th^t"there r/ks[ rip"ilWceling,, oil his part towards any of the'voffiCbrk' -Brief!v ptitv Mr...Talbut s indicthibiit' .of .'the/Defence Department, "lay be diipresSed in. two . points: . . 1; That he was dismissed without :-/due ; fenquiry ; (as prescribed by tho / • : Act),., into . tho circulnstaiicoß which - led. to -his dismissal. .. ~ ho is igiior&nt- of. the exact \ i' 1 oatises';'of his present position, and-h'is^'request-'for ait exjilanatidn has • '.* -^'.lieeh' ignored.' *" ' S8 ni'uch for Mr. Tiilbut's side of the qiiestibn.. .In.fairness to his\superior officer, the btheiv side mu-St .iilsb bb stated; Oitr. rcjpfisglitative Ifiteryiewed liieiiteiiaiit-Cblbriel/-Bauchop, 'offiber' / Gommanding tho District,' 1 . Captain',MacDonald, .Assistant Ad-' ahd v Lieutenant Logiiri, sub- . altern- officer iii -tho' Heretiiungft Mounted .-.UifleS;-?!:: Captain-' Sariulcl -.was:out of-tbivii. Ill:;fejily- tb: A 'question) Libutonant-Golonel UaliihojKstatqd that, the statement, waii. iiot col-fcct.' -iii. übnsbquenco offreprcsehtatibiis'' made to him by tho officers of the'eompfliiy and thb stalf sergeant-majo;-, who',acted-as instructor'at'the recent en--campmerit lield. by the cbmpariy at -Miramar, hbiitiijttirfid, ii|tb tlijl r.lsb ver,y earefuliy. In tho'opinion of thjJ. staff 'thovretoiition. of.: Sergeaiit-Major Talbiit was a. menace , to' tho discipline: and: efficiency of tho': corps. Acting > under a "cla use •' in the Defence - HegulatibiiS, Libiilehant-Coloriel Uauchop decided to;dismiss him.- ' ■ CiptAitl MacDoiiild; tb whoni the reporter tfas. referred fdi--''flifthe'r.' piirtifeiilirs„..said thaK Jthe j.dis'chargo ofSergeant-Major: Talbut- frbni. the.'cbrps had giv.en gbneral; safe, facti6hjl'.,hife'-itiSubbrdiHatb ! -fiehavi6llr;i!haviiig '» of /'the , wholo.vcftiiipanifS ( ;His-. attitudo towards, tlio., offic'brsjl'-isaid : Gaptain -Mac Donald,. ''<was. practicilly- niutirioiis. '"; When .'Volunteers are in'Veamp.rtli&y • Sto r under 'tho' 'Army AAti, andins'nbqrdinaitioniby usenior.noifccommiSsioned: officer,iis' asrery./serious.- offence'indeed. :Tal-l but. knows-very.; - w'ell what he-was .dismissed for," concluded tho speaker. ."Lieutenant' Logan,...ihterriewed, '.gave . several l instances :ds- indicating-iiisiibbrdiiiate conduct-on the part of. tho ex-sergeant-major, ana roinarked:.tha.t his. dismissal..was the best, thing that could have, happened to the. company. '; ' . ~ , .