REV. MR. BOYS'S CRITICISMS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14972, 20 May 1914, Page 10

REV. MR. BOYS'S CRITICISMS.

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT TAKES ACTION. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) PALMERSTON NORTH, May 19. As a sequel to the report supplied jto the Press on the Takapau camp arrangements, the Defence authorities have forwarded the following letter to the Rev. F. W. Boys, a chaplain of the Now Zealand Forces, dated Palmerstou North, loth May :—"With reference to the report appearing under your name in the 'Alanawatu £ veiling Standard,' May 13th, 1914, will you inform mc if you have been correctly reported ? If this statement is correct, please explain jour action in publishing, through the medium of the. Press, criticisms which cannot but be regarded as subversive of discipline on matters connected with the conduct of officers and others at the camp held at Takapau. Your attention i s directed to the fact that officers of the Defence Forces are in times.of peace subject to military law, as laid down in Section 15 of the Defence Amendment Act, 1912. as well as to the provisions of the 1913 Act, from which the following is an extract (paragraph 207): —'Any officer of the Defence Forces proved to have written or to have instigated any communication to a newspaper on matters connected with Defence Forces or any portion thereof,. or calling in question or reflecting; upon any action of the Defence Department or any art of any superior officer, is guilty of insubordination, and is liable to be dealt with accordingly." An early reply is requested.—H. It. Potter, Major N.Z.S.C. Brigade." Mr Boys's reply was as follows: — "May loth. "Dear Sir, —In reply to your memorandum dated May loth, the report appearing in the 'Manawatu Evening Standard , dated 13th May. under my name, is quite correct. —Yours faithfully, Fred W. 80y5. ,,