MILITARY CAMPS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 9

MILITARY CAMPS.

A CHAPLAIN'S CMTICISM

SALVATION ARMY OFFICER'S REPLY.

[Per Press Association-.]

WELLINGTON. Mav L'i

Ensign Garner, who was in charge of tho Salvation Army marquee at Takapau, warmly repudiates the allegations against tho conduct nl ! the Territorials in camp marie- by the Rev W. F. Roys, Methodist chaplain, of Palmorston North. Mr Garner says Mr Hoys was only a casual visitor to tho cani]). His church had no marquee, and he saw little of- what went on. The, Salvation Army marquee was crowded every night.' and Mr Garner says ho never heard one bad word or .saw anything approaching horseplay. Tho men joined heartily in the. haifhonr services, and showed the greatest respect and courtesy to the chaplains. The only bad language he heard was after " Lights Out," and then it was no worse than what was heard in the streets of any town on Saturday night. Tho football match on Sunday was to bo deplored, but the officers were not to blame for that.

Ensign Garner is specially indignant at tho slur cast on the Permanent men and General Godley. He was in a position to know tho feelings of the officers because he messed with them, and their attitude towards the Territorials was in every way sympathetic. General Godley only stayed at Takapau one night, and he could not have refused to share with Sir lan Hamilton the hospitality of Mr Johnston, who had generously given the use of his estate for the Territorials' operations. The Salvation Army officer concluded by stating that he considered Mr Boys's criticism uncalled for, and quite unworthy of a clergyman holding tho position of chaplain. DEFENCE MINISTER REPLIES TO CHAPLAIN. [Per Association.] AUCKLAND, May 13. The Hon James Allen, replying to the Rev W. F. Boys's criticism of the Takapau camp, said that the English non-commissioned officer in New Zealand, so far as he knew him. was an excellent man. In fact a great deal of the good results achieved were due to a great extent to the English noncommissioned officers. Of course there were exceptions, but on the whole they were really good fellows. Mr Allen admitted that the young subaltern was a problem. He ventured to think that the young subaltern would bo spoken of very highly by the Territorials, and it would be j unreasonable to expect old men's J heads on young men's shoulders. Every S effort was being made to stop the use j of bad language in camps.

THE HAUTAPU CAMP. DEAN DARBY'S UNSAID MASS. CHAPLAINS FALL OUT. [FeOM OUB CORRESPONDENT.] AUCKLAND, May 15. Some bitterness of feeling has been shown between the Protectant ami Catholic chaplains concerning Sunday's incident of the unsaid Mass at the Hautapu camp. Tho position from one point of view is put by tho chairman (Rev "\Y. E. Gillam) and secretary (Rev 1. Bertram) of the Chaplains' Association in a letter to the newspapers, as follows: '"Tho men in the camp knew that it was impossible to carry on the proposed religious services under cover. In the circumstances Dean Darby's men might well be excused for not turning up to Mass. As a matter of fact, only two or three did come ovt to meet him. It is unworthy of the Dean to blame tho authorities fo- not making provision for his people. Colonel Logan ami staff did everything that was possible to meet the wishes of Roman Catholics and others without distinction. Your readers can scarcely understand tho devastation wrought by Saturday morning's gale and tho consequent difficulties under which all tho chaplains worked j throughout the encampment. All the marquees were blown down, and in most cases canvas, ropes and poles | wero so damaged as to be unfit for further twe. Money and labour were lost. It was a scene that might well have excited the sympathy of Dean Darby, but all'that this cleric can io is to complain that amid all this wreck- , age no provision was made for his Mass. If he had been in camp like the other chaplains, and shared the , discomfort of tho storm, he might | have spokerrdifferently. The members of our Chaplains' Association resent , his remarks as unreasonable and ungenerous. We are all grateful for the { unfailing courtesy of Colonel Logan J and his subordinate officera, and the , help they are always ready to give to , all the chaplains in their duties." , To this communication Dean Darby , makes reply as follows: j " I havo been attacked because I asked that in tho military . camp ] Christ's injunction. 'Render unto God ] :he things that are God's.' should bo c carried out. To my mind a very ( loubtful compliment has been paid to c :.ho Colonel by the Chaplains' Associa- t :ion. It makes Colonel Logan look r veak, so weak, indeed, that tho miliiary chaplains hearing his fall have r> •ashed to his assistance. I have only t i passing knowledge of the Colonel, 1: rat I judge him to be a gentleman *\ juite able to take his own part. The C chaplains' Association would do well v >o take a leaf out of the Colonel's h took. Tho Colonel has stood manfully w 0 his officers, but the Auckland Chap- c Bins' Association does not know this " itiquette, and has rushed to defend he Colonel and condemn their own a irother chaplains. 0 temporal 0 nores! When the Divine Christ * ound Ho could not uphold His dis- P iples He was silent. I eay to these uickland chaplains, 'Go and do likeise.' Who appointed these clerical gen- A lemen judges over mo? If they have no uthority to judge, they are guilty of "■ resumption, and if they have anthoity will T not.be allowed to plead incase? Tho same power that made " hese gentlemen military chaplains"al«o a ppointed mo one. How dare they sit 1 judgment of their brother chaplain ithout hearing him? -I feci sure *' Aero was no Catholic, priest*'anions lem. One would not allow an absent rother to he condemned without a r . •ial, and if only non-Catholic clergy- ~ ion were there.'what right have they > judge of Catholic practices?"