LETTERS TO THE EDITOE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1071, 3 August 1869, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOE.

Tlie Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents. Sir,— l beg the favor of a few lines in your columns, for the purpose of making known a fact of which, I believe, few only are aware, and wbich in these times it may be exceedingly advantageous to the inhabitants of this district to be acquainted witb. It will, doubtless, afford satisfaction to those individuals belonging to the Militia who experienced some tyranny at the hands of the military, authorities, by incarceration in the Napier gaol, to know that those important personages had no right whatever to inflict the punishment they did. It is the case that the Mutiny Act in force for Her Majesty's troops (at home and elsewhere), is, oris supposed by New Zealand Militia Act to apply to us ; but they seem to have forgotten one small, though not the least important, fact,— -namely, that that Mutiny Act distinctly states that it shall only be applicable to those who are enlisted and receiving pay. Now, the only time that the Militia were really subject to the Act was when out on duty at Petane, and in receipt of pay. When the pay ceases, it stands only to a man's reason [even setting aside the express wording of the Act with regard to the pay] that he has no right to be punished in any way whatever under the Mutiny Act, and I therefore beg to state that any punishment [save and except the fines for non-enrolment] that are inflicted on the Militia are contrary to law.— l am, &c, - .... A No. 2 Militiaman. ummrnKmrnmammmmßmaummmmmummmmmm