The Canteen Scandals

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXV, Issue 5620, 28 May 1914, Page 3

The Canteen Scandals

WHITAKER AND MINTO FOUND GUILTY. MR JUSTICE DARLING'S CAUSTIC COMMENT. THE SENTENCES. Received 8.30 a.m., 28th. London, May 27. WhitaKer and Minto ha\*e been found guilty in connection with the canteen scandals. Whitaker, in defence, said that no favour was shown to Lipton's, and the only money received by him was in compensation for a visit to Crete. He read a letter from Colonel Fienneß, representing a firm of Maidstone breweis, otrering him a free trip and asking him to use his influence! with a colonel in Crete on behalf of their beer. Mr Justice Darling, in summing up, said it was regrettable that Colonel Fiennes (now Baron Snye and Sele), whose ancestor put his hand to Magna Charta, should have written such a letter. Whitaker, in broken accents, said he was unaware that he was doing wrong at the instance of the gentleman named. He did it because he was in need of money, having two sons at Sandhurst. He threw himself on the Judge's mercy. Mr Justice Darling, animadverting on the letter, sternly commented on the decadence shown by the representative of a great family in cadging orders for beer. Whitaker was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and the other military accused were bound over. Minto and Cansfield were lined .£SOO each; Craige, .£100; Laing, Owen, I'egly and Lynch, £SO; and Swain was bound over. Whitaker made a second appeal for clemency, but the Judge ordered his removal.