"Hazing" in the Army.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 7159, 9 February 1901, Page 4

"Hazing" in the Army.

OFFICERS DISMISSED

The War Office has heavily punished some of the officers of the Ist Warwick* shira Volunteer Artillery for their brutality to a young subaltern at the annual manoauvres. A young man, Lieutenant Steeds, was not populur with his fellow-officers, who played upon him practical jokes of a more aggravated type than even subalterns occasionally indulgo in. Eggs and jam were placed in his bed ; he was drenched ; with water, and a donkey and a calf were introduced into his tent. When the youne; man appealed to his colonel I to restrain the exuberance of his fellow- | officers he met with no sympathy. The j War Office instituted an inqury, and ' three officers, including Lieutentant- ] Colonel, have been dismissed from the I force. Acting>Adjutant Kimberley has ! also beeu requested to send in hit? ! resignation. Colonel Owen is one of the I oldest ond most popular volunteer officers I in the kingdom. There is great indignu- ! tionin Birmingham over the action of the War Office, and all • the officers in the Ist Warwickshire Artillery Volunteers threaten to tender their resignations. They are engaged in getting up a protest to the Secretary for War. If they persist in it the entire regiment will most likely be disbanded. Public feeling outside Warwickshshire is on the side of Lieutenant Steeds. These volunteers have been imitating some of the worst rowdyism that once prevailed in the regular army. " Hazing," as it is called, is a recognised form of punishment among subalterns, but in no well regulated regiment doeaio get much beyond a bucket of water and a mock court-martial. In this instance Lieut Steeds was distinctly the victim of persecution,