THE CAMP SCANDAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 140, 24 June 1901, Page 2

THE CAMP SCANDAL.

RUMORED THAT FOUE MEN HAVE BEEN STRIPPED OF UNIFORMS. PENTON’S REQUEST TO " THE :.1 PORTER, JUST STRICTURES OF WELLINGTON PRESS. DEMAND THAT PENTON BE DEALT WITH.

(Special to Times.) Wellington, Saturday. Tho Minister of Defence has givon Mr Wilford an assurance that there will bo an enquiry into the grievances of tho volunteers in regard to the camp., Mr Wilford insists that it must bo a public enquiry of the fullest possible character, and he suggests a commission or board, consisting of one member of the Department, another nominated by the aggrieved men, and the Stipendiary Magistrate. Mr Wilford offers to fill the role of prosecutor. He has already in his possession a mass of evidence in support of tho allegations that havo been made through the columns of the press. It seems improbable that anything can be done until after the departure of tho Royal visitors from the colony. Captain Winter will probably be called upon to give evidence. It is rumored that four of tho ringleaders have been stripped of their uniforms and sent home. POST EDITORIAL.

The Post, under the heading “ Military Camp Scandal,” says : “ As the public are aware, the men have been compelled to undergo privation in the midst of plenty, and have suffered discomfort and oxposure wholly unnecessary. Without making any charge of ineptness or incompetency on the part of the military authorities it may fairly be asked what would be the lot of citizen soldiers in an actual campaign in New Zealand if they are compelled to endure in the capital city on a holiday parade tho hardships that during the present week have fallen to the lot of mounted men camped at Newtown Park ?" After referring to tho procession, the Post says: It is certain that thoy had good reason to make a vigorous protest, but the manner of making it, with all allowance for extenuating circumstances, was blameworthy and deplorable. They had, no doubt, cause, as they had right, to protest against the incompetence of the military authorities responsible for the ill-treatment, but, unfortunately, in a moment of unthinking recklessness they committed an act of folly that has been magnified 'by military authority into a public scandal.” The article then says that the Commandant requested that his remarks should not be published, and that tho member of the staff need not mention the matter to the editor, which is characterised as “ an amazing suggestion.” The article concludes : “ However, the Commandant’s wishes were made known to us, and were fairly considered, with tho result that we considered it our duty to publish a fair, full, and unvarnished statement of what transpired within the knowledge of the reporter. Our justification is that the conduct of the Commandant was utterly unjustifiable and derogatory to his position, and that we should be false to our duty to the public, and particularly to the citizen soldiers whom ho commands, did we not make it known. Passing by such language as 1 infernal curs,’ the statement of Colonel Pole-Penton that tho delinquents, by their act of folly, had disgraced the whole regiment, was simply ridiculous. Had the department, of which Colonel Polo-Penton is tho well-paid chief, been equal to its first duty on this occasion, tho volunteers would not have had any cause to complain. The truth is that the Commandant of the forces has not only failed to display any capacity for administrative office, but is of the typo of British officer who would be incapable in a lifetime’s experience of getting into touch or understanding with the colonial volunteers, and we most sincerely hope that when his term of office expiros a competent colonial Commandant will be found, who will be endowed with the qualities that in the case of Colonel PolePenton are conspicuous by their absence.” OPINION OP THE TIMES.

This morning’s Times says : The one discordant note in the chorus of Wellington’s loyal demonstrations has been producted by the inefficiency or neglect of the defence authorities in the matter of providing for the comfort of the volunteers who came to town to swell the military display. It was utterly inexcusable that both the men and their horses should have been insufficiently provided with food. This initial blunder was responsible for a demonstration which was both ugly and undesirable. A citizens’ army is an absolute necessity in this country, but its rank and file must receive proper treatment. The authorities incur a grave responsibility in arming men with deadly weapons, and then treating them in such a way as to produce an ebullition bordering upon open mutiny. In such circumstances the defence force, instead of being a source of safety and strength, might speedily become a menace to order and security. The volunteers who paraded the city in uniform, displaying samples of meat and making an indignant demonstration, cannot be defended, but certainly it would be more unjust to deal with them for a breach of discipline before the aggravating cause of the discontent has been enquired into and the primary delinquencies brought to boot. 'After stating that the Ministerial head is not to blame, and that Mr Seddon has shown praiseworthy alacrity in granting an enquiry, the Times goes on to say : “ The enquiry should also take cognisance of the grossly abusive and improper language said to have been used by the Commandant of the Forces in addressing the men at Newtown Park on the subject of the indignation parade. The man who could use such language is palpably unfit to be in charge of a colonial force, and if Colonel Penton is proved to have acted as reported, it is to be hoped that he will speedily be relieved of his duties, and his place taken by an officer more in accord with the sentiments of the free and selfrespecting members of our citizen army.”

The Wellington Times says that many of the men vow that wild horses would be incapable of dragging them to Wellington again. One man said, “We have been treated like dogs; worse than dogs; I keep dogs myself, and I would never treat them like we have been treated.” Continuing, the Times says: “As a matter of fact, Wednesday’s demonstration was not confined to four returned troopers. It was participated in by over two hundred persons, more than half of whom were in the uniform of various corps, mostly from the country. districts. The participants are well known to everybody, but the military authorities, and they say that they were only drjyen to take'this extreme step by the' cavalier way in which their legitimate representations were treated. The refusal of the volunteers to give information as to the identity of the ringleaders is not regarded in the city as a glaring offence,” Colonel Somerville wrote three letters and vigorously rung up the telephone bells, to fry and get matters in the camp rectified, but could get nothing done till the men gave their street exhibition.