THE CANTEEN SCANDAL

Evening Star, Issue 15394, 19 January 1914, Page 6

THE CANTEEN SCANDAL

NATURE OF THE CHARGES. PERSISTENT' BRIBERY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 17. In connection with the canteen scandals summonses have been issued to six quartermasters, two sergeant-majors, and eight civilians. They are charged that in February, 1903, and on other occasions, they conspired that money should be corruptly given as an inducement to favor Lipton's contracts. Mr Muir, K.C., who is proeecuting, outlined the charges. He said that keen rivalry existed between the different firms to secure the contracts, for which a rental of £l7 to £2O monthly was paid to supply messes of 100 men. The duty of malting complaints as to the quality of the provisions rested with the quartermaster and the sergeant-majors. A persistent system of bribery was instituted by the conductors of Lipton's military canteen. The chief witness would be Sawyer, a former employee in Lipton's, who had been instructed by Minto, formerly the head of Lipton's military department, in 1903 to secure the influence of the non-commis-sioned officers as cheaply as possible. The canteen business grew rapidly under Sawyer, who later on was personally entrusted to make the payments, thus making plain that the heads of the firm desired to conceal their responsibility. They were prepared to repudiate their subordinates it anything was revealed. In eelfprotection the subordinates obtained written authority. When Sawyer wanted the bribes he had to go to Minto, or Causfield, the general manager. Many letters were read detailing the pavments to quartermasters. Sawyer, in a letter, stated that Quartermaster Armstrong clamored for £SO to secure the contract for the First Battalion at Aldershot. Sawyer recommended £2O. Pegley, the inspector of the Colchester branch, wrote to the company 6aying that four sergeant-majors had made up their minds to stop at nothing 'to get fresh contractors unless they were weil paid. The Court then adjourned. SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST OFFICERS. A sensation has been created in Army circles at Home by the following official announcement by "the War Office: —"As the result of the special investigation which has been conducted recently with the view to testing the accuracy of the allegations made in various quarters as to the existence of a system of bribery and corruption in regard to the conduct of canteens in the Army, information has been laid before the Army Council, in consequence of which the council have given orders, in the first instance, for the convening of a General Court Martial, before which charges will be preferred against the following:—Hon. Major and Quartermaster F. Walker, Quards' Depot; Hon. Captain and Quartermaster J. Fowles, First Battalion, Irish Guards; Hon. Lieutenant and Quartermaster G. R. Burton, Fourth Hussars; Hon. Lieutenant and Quartermaster T. Potter, Third Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders ; and Hon. Lieutenant and Quartermaster W. J. Armstrong, First Battalion, Norfolk Regiment." All the officers concerned have risen from the ranks. Major Walker, Scots Guards, is attached to the Guards' depot at Caterham. His rank dates from January 13, 1912. Captain Fouie*," whose battalion is lying at the Wellington Barracks, was appointed Hon. Captain, May 23, 1910. Lieutenant Burton"s regiment is lying at the Curragh. He received his lion, commission on October, 1904. Lieutenant Potter's battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders is a Special Reserve one, and is at Stirling. Lieutenant Armstrong's battalion is stationed at. Holvwood.