GARRISON OFFICERS' CLUB

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1913, Page 8

GARRISON OFFICERS' CLUB

"BLACKBALLING" AN APPLICANT FOR MEMBERSHIP. In the House of Representatives this afternoon, Mr. Mac Donald asked the Minister of Defence whether there is any truth in a statement now being made that the Wellington Garrison Officers' Club recently- refused 1 membership to a "6ertafn A officer' by " blackballing* him, in defiance of an instruction from the Officer Commanding the District that no officer could be put up for ballot, and that the club has further defied authority by declining to obey the direction of the General Officer Commanding that an old rule allowing a ballot should be deleted, and as a result has decided to vacate the rooms provided in the Drill Hall and obtain rooms elsewhere, with the object of forming a private officers' club ; and, if such statements are true, does the Minister not think such conduct an attempt to create a class distinction in a purely citizen army, and a breach of discipline, and as such prejudicial to the success of the Defence scheme ; and, further, if enquiry reveals such statements to exist in fact, what action will the Minister take to bring the offenders to book? The Hon. Mr. Allen replied : Headquarters ruled some time ago, as regards garrison officers' clubs occupying premises provided by the Department, that all commissioned officers are entitled to membership of such clubs with' out election by ballot, and gave the clubs concerned the option of abiding by such decision or vacating their present premises. The Wellington Garrison Officers' Club has chosen the latter alternative.