WANGANUI BARRACKS SCANDAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 299, 14 December 1918, Page 5

WANGANUI BARRACKS SCANDAL

LIEUTENANT ORAMPTON- REPLIES -. :TO C'Rn'ICISM.' ' WAJSfGANTjrj Dec. ( 12.Tho - Wanganui detention , barrack® scandal is causing widespread interest* and in View -of v certain "statements having ■; been published- cpnbeming Lieut. Crampton's "conduct at • Samoa, and his being' coUrt-inaTtiall-ed' in respect to anassault' on a<. woman, . explanation to-a - Herald repre- ■ stentative said :he was- appointed to Samoa as Pi-ovost-Marshal,, Judge of the Native Colirts, Secretary of-Native Affairs, and later Inspector-General of Policei and Prisons, by virtue of which lie was also ci: Magistrate in the German courts. There were two prevailing features—Prussiailismx and ' housesi' of illfame. The latter were seriously ing ; ;the rhealth of the-troops; and . > ciyil population; The German .element , on the island , were ignoring the . rules and regulations issued, by proclamation, and generally were doing as tlifey liked. The •stand that he- took' wffls tfc clean the islartd: of > both- tliese -evils ■ by the internment of Germans who; disobeyed the regulations, houses of ill-fame and deporting the occupants} -to -another island; , - The ,0119 dutjJ came tinder hifi military, rank and • the ,'othei- under .his ciyil capacity. In performingi many of. these ; .dmties lie would have .to carry out work which in New Zealand -was performed).".by- a con r stable, as the main staff: of the civil police comprised Natives,., who" in the performance of , the., duties .he r had undertaken were of little .use. The. cai'ry- • ing ,*out- of--these: twd- tdsks earned .. for him thte extreme hatred: of the 1 German elements,, strongly-* supported by their -sympathisers, , who y w.ei'e many,, and some in- influential positione. From the first'he had a fight- .He was informed iiv their- usual- secretive, mo-, ihocl that ift lie name vi) Against a. certain; organisation they...-would : have; hun. out'H the country within a ;month..,The ttssahlt'On.-a" woman referredj jto occurred during his investigation of a brutal assault 011 a girl committed by tho • woman witli' -a knife.'- She was defying all authority, and was-,- trying to put him off the jpremises, and :it., was only to avoid corith-ct with her; ;t-hat lie put,-out his \Valking-stick, which was - technically an assault. • The incident provided) an opening for the-.-Germane a-hd- their svmpatliiSors -to; put in. pperation the schemes aga.ihst hirnself, and they, took full advantagei of it. The -cburt-marital was brought '{{bout;, on 1 ' Ips vowni. application, the fesult of which* was 'a reprimand for A technical assault, ... Ho- denied' there was ' either foundation .or truth in the other allegations and _ innuendoes agaijist his .chara'cter.'- -In conclut-ion, he remarked vChat, tlie. k f*ct that, he was rfitainetli 'in - the - service'. of the ' Defence Denhrtment and-upqnvliis retiirn New; positions, that th? authorities did not re- ■ the against him at Sanfoa aa being serjouF."' -