LOOTING AT RABAUL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 8

LOOTING AT RABAUL.

I MEMBER'S ALLEGATIONS. J CHARGES TO BE SIFTED. (Received May 28, 8.15 p.m.) Melbourne, May 28. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Anstey renewed his allegations of looting at Rabaul. He claimed that officers had prevented soldiers from looting and had themselves carried on wholesale robbery. Looting had occurred on a large scale from top to bottom. The men simply did what they saw their officers do. The responsibility rested with those controlling the expedition. He believed that there would always be looting in connection with .war. The only honest thing to do was to let the men who. had been sentenced out of gaol.

Mr. Fisher declared that the Government would not allow the matter to rest. A soldier had no right to loot, and it was the duty of the commanding officer to shoot him if no other means would stop him. He denied the statement that no courtmartial could be trusted to try a culprit. If an officer had done wrong he should be treated more severely than soldiers. ( Mr. J.' Cook, Leader, of the Opposition,' suggested that a committee of the members of the House or a Judge should investigate the whole business. ~.'>.. Mr. Jensen, Assistant-Minister for Defence, said that the Government took immediate action to sift the allegaftions. He would never rest until this was thoroughly donts. Later, Mr. Fisher stated that he was considering action in regard to the court-martial on the Rabaul looting charges. The Government desired to ascertain if the court-martial was carried out according to the usual rules.