Territorials May Protest

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 159, 8 July 1938, Page 6

Territorials May Protest

HASTINGS MEN DISCUSS PROPOSAL TO RESIGN NO ACTION MEANTIME From Our Own CorresoouaenL HASTINGS, July 7. Possible action as a protest against tho posting to the retired list of Colonels A. S. Wilder, C.R. Spragg, K. F. Gambrill and N. L. Macky, it is understood, has been discussed in camera by members of the Territorial force in Hastings. No action is to be taken until it is learned whether the demand for an inquiry' is to be acceded to. “The feeling right through the forces is very strong,” is the way one Territorial summed up the position when approached this afternoon. It is believed that rank and file members of the Hastings units considered the possibility of resigning en bloc as a protest against the action as a disciplinary measure against the four colonels, who signed a manifesto calling attention to the state of the defence forces and the policy enunciated by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. What trend the discussion took is not known, but it is understood the outcome wa6 a decision to take no action in the meantime, but instead to wait for an announcement as to whether the demand for an inquiry would be followed by the desired result. The four colonels are on the “Colonels Lists” which was created when the Territorial Brigades of which they had command were disbanded on the reorganisation of the forces. They were required to do ten days’ training in higher command work and to visit four camps a year. On mobilisation, it was to be expected that they would be called on to command brigades in the field. No official explanation of the action taken against them is forthcoming. When questioned the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, said that the retirement of the officers was purely a service matter and not one which concerned the Government. Colonel Macky, speaking on behalf of the four officers, said recently that they were not prepared to make any public statement at present. It is known that in disciplining the colonels paragraph 443 of the military regulations has been invoked. This oaragraph expressly forbids any person subject to military law to communicate to the public any military information or their views on any mili tary subject without special authority. There has alao been a hint of action under paragraph 175, which empowers the Governor-General to cancel the commission of any officer who is reported as being incompetent, neglectful of duty, or “otherwise unsuitable to exercise the duties of his rank or appointment.” The suggestion was made by Auckland officers that not only have the colonels been punished without trial, but that the disciplining of them under regulations could be questioned. It was contended that, apart from any merit there might be in the colonels’ action in drawing attention to a situation which they, as citizens possessing the reouisite knowledge, could no longer tolerate in the public interest, they had not violated any section of the Defence Act, which alone could say what was or was not a military offence. The submission was that regulations are merely machinery to give effect to an Act; they cannot create offences. ATTITUDE IN GISBORNE FATE OF REQUEST FOR INQUIRY Per Press Association. GISBORNE, July 7. It is reported in Gisborne that territorials in various centres have been in informal consultation regarding possible action to support the four colonels who recently were retired as a disciplinary measure in consequence of their having issued a manifesto emphasising the inadequacy and inefficiency of the Dominion’s land forces. It is stated that the rank and file of the force are unanimously behind the officers and are determined to do everything possible to support them. It was first proposed in Gisborne that the men should resign in a body as a protest, it being understood that a lead in this direction would be followed elsewhere, but action has been deferred until it is ascertained whether the demand for ah inquiry will be acceded to.