TRANSPORT 49.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4275, 26 June 1916, Page 6

TRANSPORT 49.

ALLEGATIONS REFUTED. MEN QUI'fE SATISFIED. THE MINISTER’S PROMISE. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, June 23. The serious allegations s-bout the food on transport 49 and behaviour of a certain officer to the men who protested were mado in the House a feu) days ago by Mr.. C. H. Poole. The -Minister of Defence was absent at tbe time, .but he returned to Wellington to-day and took tho earliest opportunity of referring to the statements. “I am sorry,” said Mr. Allen, “that I have not the official report, but this will be obtained and given to the House as soon as possible. But I have a letter from somebody who read the remarks of the honorable member.”

Mr. Wilford: Out of order. Mr. Speaker, I ask you whether it is in order for any honorable member to read any letter which comments on tho proceedings of this House. Mr. Allen: The extract I am going to read from the letter makes no reference to the proceedings of tho House, but simply details certain facts about the ship.

Mr. Speaker allowed tho extract to bo read. Mr. Allen then read as follows: “As you know, m v son left in troopship No. 49. In describing the voyage he said he had a most pleasant time on board. He had been in Featherston and Trentham camps, and he said the food on the ship was all that could be desired, and that if possible it was equally as good if not better than at the camps.” Ho read also this other quotation: “'Although the alleged remarks of the commanding officer were pretty strong, there is a good deal of truth in them. This is not a time for quibbling over paltry matters, and where there are over 1200 men on board a troopship you can’t expect drawing-room conditions. ’ ’ Mr. Poole raised a point of order to prevent the " reading rf further comments of this sort, saying that they were not official.

Mr. Speaker said that the extracts read were not in contravention of the Standing Orders.

Mr. Allen said he did not wish to read any moro of that letter, but the quartermaster’s report boro out what was in the letter. He had another letter written by someone who had seen the report of Mr. Poole’s statements. This letter contained the following extract from a letter of ‘the writer’s son, a soldier on the ship: “Wo are having a grand time and nothing much to do and all day to do it in. The food wo get is excellent. We couldn’t wish for better. ’’ Mr. Poland: Is he an officer or a private? Mr. Allen: He is a private. Might I be permitted to say, ho continued, that tho remarks with regard to food on this troopship have been circulated throughout New Zealand, causing a great deal of unrest, and I am sorry the honorable member did not come to seo me boforo Eio brought this up in tho House, Mr. Poole: You were not here. Mr. Allen: They could have waited a few days, but they have gone throughout tho country and stirred up a good deal of feeling. They have had a start; I can’t catch them with a refutation of them. They are very unjust to tho Defence Department, to •tho commanding officer on film ship, and to tho other men on the ship who have-not made theso complaints, but who have written to say they are quito satisfied. Ho added that he could not object to members bringing legitimate grievances tyider his notice, and ho would always do bis .best to set them right.