THE HERETAUNGAS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 108, 30 January 1908, Page 5

THE HERETAUNGAS.

* J A DISMISSAL AND ITS SEQUEL,; 1 TWENTY-SEy'EN] members resicn. i - AN INQUIRY REQUESTED. , \ U | J i- Tho •"Gazette' I < ofi tho ■ week- before last. pro- ' r i -> > ; .y] claimed tho dismissal from the Herctaunga | Mounted Rifle 3 of Sergeant-Major Ts,lbut i, and Trooper Flyger for insubordination , to,» ; .-:!s> ,'si superior officer.-. 's'As much as was obtainablo.-- r v;r m tho way of explanation of the circum- '! stances that; brought! about thodismissal of.v,these men has already appoarod in Tub 1 j Dominion, but this did, not fully clear uprJ the matter.-Sergeant-Major Talbut,- who v•" w- : -v pears, to - bo a veryi.popular member of :th»: ; lt - Company, "has that ho ■ has been un-< •• ablo to .obtain auy>' legitimate.-reason.:;m:fofti; ! his dismissal from Captain Samuel,! ••••>••• Officer* Commanding ■ the Rifles, or anyono-' ; i else;: LieutonantrColoncl -Bauchop statedvtoi* > v. our roprosontativovthat he had, looked: voryf ' caref,uHyvinto tho case, - and m Ins opinion! .' ■the rotention« of. iSorgcant-Tilajor. Talbut - - : av menaco to the discipline and; efficiency oBl 1 tho corps -i ( Captain M'Donald,: of :tho District . - ■Office, who .'-was v also consulted, said that r - ; .■■ ■:• .Talbot's, attitude towards tha- . . officers vrap, practically mutinous, and hiar 1 discharge from; tho corps had . given general) ; ■ : .satisfaction. - : Those statements, comings from officers; holdingi lnglr positions, musxyj of courso, jbo given every i consideration; but- • •; thero is another.'side.,to tho;question. : v.| : . ■: ..About ardozon .of tho men callod at Thh' v Domimon ijofhco after paradox last ovening r " -■■■■ ;- with. ; tho :chiof dbject of refuting wliai ! tarn M'Donnld had said, to the effect tliafc>: ■ :«■ Sorgeant-Mnjor Talbut's dismissal had give. u general satisfaction.This, ttatenront;:'thcyi •' ; ' , said, was absolutely misleading, and in proof thereof it was stated that twenty-seven mem- 1 •.bow-of ;tho'corps had tondered their' ' 1 -. ; nations'that evening,' and they understood > -that teri"more rosigpations wero on the way ! ' ' --from country members. •• It was stated that'? ■ ' there were only 31 members in tho - town A : : : v division w of tho Rifles, and tho corps was ...made lift' to a strength of 49, with country ■ v; ■> members. ~Thoso that'resigned ranged from- • . tba. ..senior...non-commissioned officer to the 1 hugkr,. and included nearly, all "tho. oldest) ■■ • foeuibcrs. of; the Ooypamr.' ■ The resignations of those.who -have-served j; their time will date from the end of "nexto' montlj,, and those who havo not completed --" "'H' thoir (time, have to give. three months' rio»l tice, - which courso,. the men sav, "has been'i*/followed. - ■ ••• : -. In tho meantime the men do not intend I" to attend any further parades/ but ara' • ■ prepared: to ,complete their clas3-firing, inj\ "i m order to earn tho capitation, consequent there-j -• ■ on. ■■; ■ , iV r.'j..-.".-'vV'.; Sergeant-Major Talbut states that he: has ' exhausted all~tho forms set out' in the ! 1 - Defence Act-as being the proper courso to 7 pursue, in order to got an inquiry, into hia"' case, and ho now iiwaits a reply to a letter- - ho i has forwarded to Colonel ; . Robin,-■- ChiefExecutive Officer of tho D-.fcnco Council. \ ~, "I* Captain Samuois to-night why Talbut .was,dismissed,''.said tho chief non- ' commissioned Officer, "and was told to'miriij. my own business." . - -. ~ ' "You can say," said a trooper, that : the half-crowns subscribed for a smoke con- - cert to be give?i to Captain Samuels arc to g'd Howards a Rend-o(f t.o Sorgoant Talbut "-'i In: t-ho circumstaucos thej.caso, seems to ] ■ b'oiono in which an inquiry should bo granted under tho provisions of tho Defence j Act. Otherwiso, the early disbandment of ! the corps appears to he likely;"! - ,