THE TRANSPORT SCANDALS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7543, 19 August 1902, Page 2

THE TRANSPORT SCANDALS.

DBUNKENNESS AND GAMBLING ON THE DBAYTON GBANGE.

Beceived August 18, 10.18 p.m.

Sydney, August 18.

At the Drayton Grange inquiry, Captain Bennett, the master, said he considered there was ample sleeping, latrine, and lavatory accommodation, and ventilation. The men insisted on closing the ports at night, against rules. He attributed tbe large amount of sickness to the uncleanly habits of a number of tbe men. They maliciously destroyed shower baths and electrio lamps. The troops were half the time in a state of semi-mutiny, and were a most insubordinate lot. Officers and everybody else had the utmost difficulty in handling them. He believed that bad the officers gone to the extreme, and arrested some of the men, there would have been open mutiny. These remarks applied to the great majority. A lot of drinking went on on board, And some of the officers were guilty of excess in that direction. He mentioned that the New Zealand troops 'taken to tbe Cape in the vessel had .the same hammock space and messing provision as on the present voyage.

The second officer, Blay, deposed that there was a large amount of drunkenness and gambling, the latter being openly permitted. Beoeived August 19, 9.45 a.m. Sydney, August 19. The chief officer of the Drayton Grange gave evidence to the effect that troopers prevented the putting up of berths intended for the sick, seized the timber, and threatened to blanket him. He had the greatest difficulty in getting the men to clean their quarters, which were sometimes not touched for days. The commanding officer's aid had to be obtained. There was great lack of discipline, and the men used filthy, abusive, language to the ship's and their own officers. Tbe chief steward's accounts disclosed heavy liquor consumption on the part of the officers.