MAORI BATTALION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 2, 12 January 1942, Page 5

MAORI BATTALION

UNFAIR TREATMENT REPORTS DENIED A further statement by Lt-Colen-el Dittmer, O.C. 28th Maori Battalion, has been received by the Opotiki Patriotic Committee from the National Patriotic Fund Board, concerning complaints made by Lieut. Ngata in regard to the unfair treatment of the Maori Battalion overseas. Lieut Ngata's statements .werq made in the Opotiki district and since report of his charges has been forwarded to the National PatrioticFund Board,. reports have been received from Colonel Waite and Brigadier Hargest (Middle East), who have denied the statements made. lieut-Col. Dittmer writes as follows: — "Colonel Waite, Overseas Commissioner, National Patriotic Fund Board has allowed me to peruse your letter of 7tli October, 1941, to him, also copies of letters received by you concerning complaints made presumably by an ex officer of this Battalion in the Opotiki district as to the distribution, or receipt of gift parcels by members of this Unit and also concerning the activities of the Y.M.C.A. from a Battalion viewpoint. "To commence with, I want you to know that the Battalion completely dissociates itself from the statement's that have been made and we are one and alii extremely sorry for what lias happened. In view of the favourable treatment we have received we never thought it possible for such a thing to come about. If there was the slightest foundation for such statements Ave possibly would not be feeling so distressed over what has taken place. "May I be permitted to tell: you what facilities the Y.M.C.A. has provided for us and then, go into the matter of gift parcels and financial help received from patriotic funds. "On arrival in England we went into camp at and within a "week or soi had a Y.M.C.A. marquee put up for our own use. From wc went to * where Ave had a big Y.M.C.A. marquee right in the middle of the battalion for the whole of our stay there. On leaving we journeyed to and at had Y.M.C.A. facilities placed at our disposal in a small hall: Ave also had the full use of a Y.M.C.A. travelling \ r an. From Ave Avent to billet at and not only had a Y.M.C.A. hall and van within the Battalion area but also a committee of ladies to run the hall and I might say this- committee did excellent work. It Avas possible to obtain a sit-down meal in the hall and Ave held a number of successful concerts and dances there for the men of this Battalion. For the men Avhile cn leaA'e in the Y.M.C.A. provided further rooms and facilities in that village. We left for Egypt and owing to the situation etc. of our camping ground on arrival there aa t c certainly did not have a Battalion Y.M.C.A.-marquee, although Ave had part use of a marquee in another unit's lines, but the men s mess rooms (marquees) Avere made available for Avriting after evening meal.

"We were not long in this area and on moving on we again had part use with another unit of a Y.M.C.A. marquee but I consider the men of this* Battalion were well provided for. Besides an E.F.I, can teen and picture house right on the Battalion boundary, we had a Regimental Canteen. After three weeks at this place Ave journeyed to another camping site where we 1 had throughout a very well conducted Y.M.C.A. marquee in the middle of the Battalion area. There were also wet and dry canteens for general use not far distant.

"In our next area we again had a Y.M.C.A. in ovir lines. Our next 'move brought us tot the area we are now in and throughout our stay here we have had a well-run Y.M.C.A. marquee in a central position within the Battalion area, and I might point out that a N.Z. Pakeha Battalion next door is without a marquee of its own and this is not the first occasion on which this has happened. Even in Crete we' had the services of a Y.M.C.A. store.

"This Battalion lias certainly received more than its share: of the facilities offered by the Y.M.G.A. We have been provided with free writing paper, free teas and picture shows, all of which have been thoroughly appreciated and thanks are clue to the Y.M.G.A. staff for a food job of work.

"Now in the matter of gift par-, eels. How it can be said that discrimination has been shown and that at no time each man of this

Battalion received a complete parcel, I simply cannot imagine, and as for getting what was left over, all I can say is that if discrimination has been shown it has been in favour of the Maori Battalion.

"In England every single man in the Battalion got a complete parcel just prior to Christmas morning and to ensure that this was so the Padre and I on Christmas morning each delivered parcels to our sick in hospitals. On return to Egypt every inan that had been in Greece and Crete and returned with the Battalion received another complete parcel. So on two occasions have all ranks in the Battalion received individual parcels provided by the patriotic fund. "After receipt of your letter I had a talk with each Company concerning parcels and asked for a show of hands by those who were with the Battalion and did not receive either of those parcels—the response was NIL. "On other occasions such-as when parcels have arrived for deceased or missing personnel and there has not been sufficient to go round they have certainly been . split and distributed to Companies within the Battalion on a Company's strength basis. This has happened on possibly three or four occasions. "We have received through the Patriotic Fund, recreational kit of all descriptions and some of our men have received small grants of money while on leave. Last Christmas we received Is 6d per man for Christmas festivtiies and the same will take place this year again. While in Crete and after coming back here we received grants for the purchase of foodstuffs to supplement the ration and very useful this money was found to be in the matter of providing extra greens etc. The Patriotic FUnd Commissioner has always been most anxious to> help members of this Battalion and when we have a big number- of men on leave in Cairo I have seen* him arrange day trips for as many as seventy to eighty men of this Battalion out of patriotic funds.

"I trust I have net bored you with this long recital of what has been done for this; Battalion but I feel it is due to the people handling the fund in New Zealand and overseas. In conclusion you can rest assured that the men of this Battalion have alwaj r s been treated more than fairly by the Patriotic Fund and the Y.M.G.A. and we resent statements being made that are likely to even bring into question the activities of those two very bright sources of help. "Having drawn the attention o' members of the Battalion to the false statements alleged to havf been made, I am hoping that a number will voluntarily let their good folk at home know just what been taking place, and thus put 'heir minds to rest."