OBJECTORS IN BARRACKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17026, 6 December 1918, Page 6

OBJECTORS IN BARRACKS

TREATMENT AT WANGANUI.

" BREAKING-IN SYSTEM."

COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. [by temcgbaph.— CORHESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The report of' the commissioner, Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., upon the alleged ill-treatment of prisoners in the Wanganui detention barracks, was tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The commissioner explains that he was asked to ascertain : (a) to what de?reo, if at all, tho allegations in the letter to a newspapor were correct; (b) if force had been used, for what purpose it had been used; (c) whether it was lawful to use force for such purposes, and further, to make any recommendations as he might think proper for the future conduct of the institution. The method- of conducting the inquiry was to see each man privately. " I have been able to discover little or no exaggeration in the statements of the prisoners," states the commissioner, "and bit far as I have been able to check them, they are fair and truthful. On the other hand, I am satisfied that many of the statements made to me by members of the barracks staff wore untrue."

Truth of Allegations. Referring to tho newspaper letter, tho commissioner says that in the main tho statements were true, while he had obtained evidence of several other things not referred to in it. There was, however, an exaggeration of style that tended to give a heightened impression as to some of the incidents narrated. For instance, he takes part of the letter dealing with Beaton as follows:—"The following day another objector arrived from Wellington in charge of Sergeant Smith, of tho Red Caps, Lieutenant ' Crampton's right-hand man. Un refusing to do certain things against his principles he wae forcibly dressed in denims, handcuffed and then dragged round a yard by means of a pull-through roped round his neck, which nearly choked him. He was kicked and punched at the same time and also pushed against a wall with sickening thuds until his face 'was liko' a piece of raw steak and drops of blood were to be seen all round the yard and also on the walls." This, suggested tho commissioner, constitutes that Beaton had been seriously wounded, but as a matter of fact the doctor who attended him had said there were several scratches on the side of his face, none of a serious nature, but which would bleed profusely. It might be as well, however, to state that although none of the men had been seriously injured it was possible to inflict severe punishment without leaving many marks, and he (the commissioner) was satisfied that that was what happened in this case.

Dealing with the specific cases of two men named Moynihan and Donovan, the commissioner says ho is satisfied that it would take more than moral suasion to reduce them to subjection, yet in less than an hour both had been transformed from determined and defiant objectors to obedient and well-conducted prisoners. Each newcomer, as he came in, had been warned by other prisoners of what he might expect, and Guard Byrne had said he heard Moynihan saying to another prisoner « " It's not a bit of good for a man coming into the barracks and saying he won't carry out tho rules. They made me do it, and thoy can mako anyone do it." Byrne had added to this, "What Moynihan said was perfectly true. If they had done it at tho Winning there would have been no trouble." Byrne had warned Donovan of what he had to expect, saying, " That he had had enough of it with Moynihan. Moynihan was a marvel to stand what he did." ■•

Maltreatment of Men. ,

Generally speaking, " breaking in " had been accomplished in this, way:—A weighted pack was put on the prisoner's back and a rifle was fastened to his side by means of handcuffs and a piece of cord, one handcuff being attached to the stock of the rifle -and the other to (ho prisoner's wrist. The barrel was tied by a cord to his shoulder If he was wearing a uniform the barrel was passed through the shoulder-straps. The prisoner was then ordered to march, and if he did not march he was pushed from behind and helped along by the arms round the yard. When he came to a corner he was punned so as to bump against a wall 01 tin. so that he would strike it with his head. At times he was punched and thumped on. the back and pn the neck, and his heels were trodden on. In soma cai'csi he was kicked. In Donovan's case, which the commissioner considers the worst, a rope was used by which to pull him round. Water was thrown on him while he was on the round, and he was dragged for some distance" along the floor of the yard. Beaton also was pulled round the yard by means of a cord, and he, Moynihan, and Donovan were caught and pulled by the hair. The commissioner states that he is satisfied that Lieut. Crampton know that what was being done would not bear the light of day, but it was due to him to sav his position was in some respects a difficult one. Had ho only had ordinary military prisoners to, deal with, the commissioner did not think there would have been any trouble. In consequence of what Lieutenant Crampton saw at Alexandria Barracks, Wellington, ho resolved to have a different state of affairs, at Wanganui. If big description of matters at Alexandria Barracks was correct, it was certainly time a change was brought about. Different objectors at Wanga'nui had said that as soon as they had given in there was nothing to complain of. Cramplon's attitude was: "Either I beat you, or you beat me, and I'll take good care you don't beat me." The commissioner recommends that the barracks bo used for the detention of military offenders only, and that objectors to. military service should not be sent there. The personnel of tho staff should be changed, as none of the present staff had any special experience or particular qualifications/ fitting him for this kind of work. Some wcro clearly quite unfit to act as prison warders. He suggested that the new staff should bo of specially chosen men l none under the of non-com-missioned officers. That, in addition to the military official provided for, the Minister should appoint visiting civilians after tho manner of visiting justices to civil prisoners, and that all members of the Prisons Board, the inspector and the deputy-inspector of prisons, and the stipendiary magistrate of the district should be so appointed ex officio.