OAMARU TRAGEDY RECALLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18049, 24 September 1920, Page 3

OAMARU TRAGEDY RECALLED

REQUEST FOR COMPENSATION.

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT BLAMED,

HON. E. P. LEE'S DEFENCE.

(From Oxnt Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 22. _ Reporting on the petition of Mary E. Burke, M. L. Bambery, and J. M. P. Burke, praying for compensation in connection with the Gemmell's Crossing tragedy, the A and L Petitions Committee recomonded that the several petitions bo referred for the immediate and favourable consideration of the Government. Last May the committee reported that the Defence Department was in do way to blame. It was alleged that the shooting had taken place as the result of .negligence on the part of the department in allowing Onslow Mayhew the use of firearms. The report of the committee to-ckiv led to a discussion in the House, and general sympathy was expressed with the petitioners. Dr Thacker attacked tho Government in connection with this case. Pie alleged that there had been serious negligence on the part of the Defence Department. The young man who did the shooting was known to bo mentally unsound. He had demonstrated that in various ways, and that was within the knowledge of the department. One example of this was that lie had bought an officer's uniform. and had worn it until he was stopped. Then the Defence Department had lent him a rifle with a range of 500 yards to shoot rabbits. That was particularly absurd. They, however, recovered the rifle, but later on lent him another rifle for a bit of shooting. K- P. Lee strongly condemned Dr ThackerV attitude and remarks. The statement made was, he said, absolutely regardless of the facte 0 f tho case so far as the Government was concerned. He (Mr Lee) was legal adviser, and knew the family well. }sTo one had more sympathy towards them than he. He had attended the inquest, and he had presented tho petition. Wh.De Mr Lee was speaking Dr Thacker continued to interject, and finally looking m Mr Loo's direction, ho said: "Don't dare at me like that." Mr Loe said that evidently the remarks he was making were nrettinc home to the hon gentleman. Mr Lee wont on to refer to tho case m sonic detail, and stroneiv condemned Dr Thacker's attack. The latter kent interrur>t : n«; Qn J m Speaker called "Order, order." fl,o+ r tl, Le rJt lid was J . ridiou ' m,s to state that the Defence Department had lent the voung man a rifle for rabbit shooting, and it was not true that the man was mentally deranged. As *. nwtter of fact he had a weakness. He was addicted to drink, and hat. taken a large sirpplv with him to tlie camping place on the Kakanui River fishing reserve As the result of the consumption of that liquor he had srot into the condition he was m -when the catastrophe happened. There was no liabilitv on the part of the Government in connection with the case, bnt if the Government saw fit it could grant a cormv senate allowance His sympathies were with those peonle and he did not know why the member' for (Tbnstcjrarch should make such statements as he had made, unless it was because he was irresponsible or did not take the trouble to find out what the facts wene.