RIPA ISLAND.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16151, 4 March 1918, Page 6

RIPA ISLAND.

A LLEGATION'S REFUTED. THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS.

Colonel R. A. Chaffey. V.D., Officer Commanding the Canterbury Military District, speaking to a "Press" representative on Saturday, protested with some warmth against tho insinuations made in certain- letters which have appeared in Christchurch papers legarding the treatment of the German prisoners of war on Ripa Island. "Ripa Island is under my control,' 1 ho said, "and I can state emphatically that there is no foundation whatever for the insinuations made by Mr Arthur Morten in his letter to the newspapers. I consider that such insinuations are very unfair indeed to an officer like Major Leeming, who has gained the Military Cross for his conduct in the field and who lias had a great deal of war experience." Colonel Chaffey stated that he leceived a communication on the subject from Major Leeming, and ]-,e quoted the following passages: "It would bo well for those irresponsibla people to make sure of their facts before writing such utter nonsense to the newspapers, and I would gladly welcome any enquiry into any 'lax control going on at Lyttelton.' Perhaps this man Morten would like to visit the island and ascertain for himself that there is no lax control; but perhaps he is only after cheap notoriety." Colonel Chaffey says the public need not fear that any undue consideration is being extended to tho prisoners of war on Ripa Island. They are given exactly the same food as the soldiers stationed on the island. Their quarters are not large, and there is a stretcher, a wooden chair, and a tab'.e in each room. The prisoners are allowed to read the newspapers after they have been censored bv Major Leeming. Any literature which is allowed the prisoners passes through the commandant's hands. Each prisoner is allowed to write two letters a week on one sheet of paper only, which letters are censored before being sent away. Count von Luckner, said Colonel Chaffey, would be allowed to write his book about his part in the war if he wanted to, and facilities would ba allowed him to obtain books of refer* ence to that iend. None of the pris* oners was allowed to go on to tha mainland. They had been however, to have an occasional bathe in tho sea under the escort of two sentries with loaded rifles. That was about the only luxury they received. Their ordinary exercise was confined to the enclosure on the island around their quarters, a space about 60 yards by 30 yafds.