THE ORINGI CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 288, 28 April 1913, Page 8

THE ORINGI CAMP.

A I'RKSSMAX MOBBED.

FREEDOM. OF THE PRESS QUES-

TIONED.

Freedom of the press has been established as an integral part of our national life for centime.-,. It has remained for the Territorials of Xew Zealand to ijues- / lion it. A ease occurred at Dunedin re-) centlv where a press reporter was with cognisance °f tlie officers summarily durh'd, and now the Oringi encampment has furnished another instance whieh fortunately was merely an unsuccessful attempt. The attempted victim was in this case a moirber of our staff who is also a Territorial attached to the B Company XL Regiment of the local TerritiiriaU. The fundamental cause of the trouble was the cancellation of leave owing to the recent rowdyism by Territorials on leave in Dannevirke. On the first Saturday night when the bulk of the Territorials arrived in camp general leave was refused with the result that a rowdv mob of malcontents attempted a march to Dannevirke and hurled missiles and insults at the officers en route. Our representative was an eye witness j of the whole affair and sent in a full I report whieh was published in our issue ' of Wednesday last. The papers reached [ camp on Thursday evening just as the men were returning to camp after a day in the field. Immediately the camp was humming with the news. The saner | and more right-minded among the men saw nothing unfair in the report, but a faction of perverted enthusiasts busily circulated garbled accounts of the re- : port as being damaging to the credit of the regiment. ■ The veracity of the report bad nothing to do with the trouble, however. Fired with the example set them in Otago these men announced their intention of "ducking the swine." Added to this example they were backed by Ithe impression that officers and n.c.o.'s would wink at the proceeding. The tent in which the pressman was billeted was invaded by an excited lieutenant and a sergeant searching for him, newspaper in hand. He was absent for,the moment hut the sergeant informed his tent mates that there would be a repetition of the Otago affair and that it would be the worst day's work the reporter had ever done.

Later in the evening the pressman's comrades were informed that the matter had been discussd at the sergeants' mess that evening, and that a mob would invade B Company's lines at "lights out," seize the reporter and duek him. Word v'in passed rapidly round among the company who agreed to a man to stick ttipir comrade. As showing the stand taken up by the officers in this disgraceful affair it should be mentioned that there is good reason to believe that the officers of one company knew of the intended mobbing. One of the lieutenants in discussing the matter with some of the men gave it as his opinion, it is alleged, that they should duck not only the pressman, but another Territorial who was supposed to have given the reporter points about the story which caused the trouble. Prior to the pandemonium being let loose, the pressman was also haled before the captain, who said he had heard of the projected "mobbing," and asked for an explanation of his conduct. The pressman said he would stand by his report, and asked what the officers intended to do. The reply was astonishing. It was to the effect "that it was a matter for the men." The accuray of the report had no bearing, on the matter. The men resented the publicity given .to the affair, which did. not concern the general public. Tf his comrades liked they could defend, him; if not he must takes the consequences of his 'indiscreetness.' The report should have been submitted to himself and his brother officers that they might eliminate anything they did not wish published. It gave the anti-militarists stuff to make capital out of. Reporters should be excluded from camp." In other words the public should be hoodwinked into thinking military camps a model of propriety and orderliness. Had it not been for the men of his company, things would have gone ill with the pressman. At "lights out" all B Company men

were in their tents fully dressed. The nressman was removed from the tent he usually occupied— a wise precaution as it turned out.' A guard was placed on the tents. The bugle sounded 'lights out." Immediately a yelling mob of 200 or so rushed the B Company lines, yelling "Give us the reporter," "dome out and be settled you reporter." The men of B Company turned out to a man and lined the row of tents determined and steady. On came the mob. They rushed the tent where the pressman "usually slept and partially upset it. Its only occupant was a sick man just discharged from the Hospital. In his state of health it was an unpleasant and dangerous experience. A bayonet was hurled through the tent door.. B Company presented a solid front and the mob pulled up. The surprise attack had proved no surprise. Hooting f»nd yelling the mob surged round the defenders demanding their quarry, hut the m*>n stood fast, declaring that the mob must "lay them out" before they got their man. One blow would have precipitated a rough and tumble fight in which many must have been injured. The few officers who attempted to interfore were ignored. Nothing but the solid stand taken by B Company men prevented a riot. Unprepared for any resistance, unwilling to attack a whole Company of men, the disgruntled mob at length broke up. after threats of "Bayonet them," "rush the tents," and other warlike demonstration. 'Never mind boys, we'll get the in the morning," was their parting shot, and the defenders returned to their tents placing a guard in case of a further attack.

Next morning the men were in the lipid ton early for a renewal of hostilities, but B Company were hooted whereover they went. The pressman paraded with his company, but on the return at midday it was mooted that a rush would he made, for him during the sports in the afternoon, that something more serious than a ducking would take place, and that in the evening his company would be again attacked. It had now become a company feud. It was therefore deemed advisable to get him out of the way. His company were game to a man. but one company" in particular had in conjunction with two other companies of the XI. Regiment planned an attack in overwhelming numbers and the odds would be verv heavy. The pressman set out to walk to Woodville, but a motorist gave him a lift to Palmerstdn where ho stayed the night and came on hy the mail train in the morning, lucky to escape with a whole skin. After his departure from the camp the men were fairly quiet. B Company were hooted and threatened wherever they went, but nothing more serious took place. The fact that a large number of visitors were present, perhaps restrained the men a little. In the evening the camp became more lively, and B Company kept a sharp look out, suffering several false alarms. Luekilv the compiiny who had taken the leading part in the disturbance had to entrain for home at about 8 p.m., and were obliged to content themselves with hoots and threats as' to what they would do next camp. The remainder of the mob of the night before evidently thought better of it, in the light of the determined resistance [ they had met with. Except for the usual skylarking of a last night in camp. I no disturbance took place though many

of the B Company men spent the night fully or partially dressed. Too mnth cannot be Raid for the vhy in which these men handled an ugly fttnation. They were not controlled or backed by anv* officers. They won. „simply the rank and lile, but th'ev held lirm and quelled the disturbance without precipitating the- fight tliev were <|iiite I ready to put up. The officers certainly harangued the mob and attempted 1o stop the disturbance, not till, however. the matter had gone too far for them.' anil had it not been for the courage and determination of our local men the disgraceful affair would have been attended with serious, and possibly fatal, consequences to the pressman.