OAMARU MILITARY INQUIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 2859, 30 December 1908, Page 9

OAMARU MILITARY INQUIRE

OAMARU, December 22.

The statement that the military court of inquiry had exonerated the officers implicated is doubted by many in view of the declaration of secrecy made by the members of the court. Whatever may be the result of the inquiry, there is absolutely no doubt that the* alleged offences, which were preferred at the instance of the officer commanding the district, ware sufficiently serious to warrant investigation. It is rumoured that certain documents relative to the inquiry have mysteriously disappeared. It is stated, on authority which cannot be ignored, that with regard to the attendance of the Oam aru Rifles at the iv'°;ter fua-iamvres the number fell a good many short of the requisite half muster to tarn the personal payment, and this must have been known to" every officer connected with tho battalion in "camp. With regard to the paid daylight parades, it is also stated that it "can be easily proved that at least one who was returned a,- present was working many miles away from Oamara on the afternoon the parade was stated to have been held.

Feeling is running high in Volunteer circles, and it is understood that unless the matter is treated with due significance at least one company and three officers will resign as a protest.

December 24. The decision of the Military Court, "Accused officers honourably acquitted," has not cleared the vitiated Volunteer atmosphere to the extent anticipated. Those supporting the prosecution claim that they were not given an opportunity by the court to prove their case, and important evidence was therefore not brought out. The haste with~ which the judgment was communicated is quoted as being in striking contrast to the treatment meted to Captain Morrig, who has three times been reported at headquarters during the year, and who claims that though he has repeatedly asked through the officer commanding the battalion, he ha» not yet been informed what the decisions were in the cases he was called upon to answer.