THE IMPERIAL OFFICER

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1551, 21 September 1912, Page 6

THE IMPERIAL OFFICER

AND THE POLITICIAN. "IRKESPONSIBLE CONTUMELY."(By Fairplay.) '

. "Iff this country were serious in thil metter, why didn't we 6ond some of our young men to Japan or Germany, whero war is stutlicd as a science, instead of bringing out frequenters of clubs to foist their ideas oii'Us?"— Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, M.P., epcaking on. defence matter in the House of Representatives on September 13. 'Ho speaks very highly of tho courtesy and attention accorded him during what to him woe a most enjoyable and thoroughly instructive association with the'lmperial Ollicers-hard-workrag oflicere, inspired by a Keen and entliusiastio desire for efficiency, iviis Major Corrigan's impression. -Extract from a. published interview (Dominion, September U with Major A. A. Corrigan, of ■; i &i % lmellt . who reoently visited Aldcrshot). f From speeches made by Mr. Hindmarsh. M.P., and others both in tho House and out ot it, there seems to bo a very eerlous misapprehension, to put it- uiildlr, of what kind of individual the Inipcri'ai °, ffic .er .really is. Of course it may bo said that these ideas arc only those of a. fo* who know no better, or give tongue' ta them- tor effect, with one eye oil their constituents. Nevertheless, .these ideas are published hi the press from tho .North' tape to tho Bluff, and New Zealandere, who have never seen an Imperial officer, absorb them and take them for gospel What a member of Parliament says, tenorally, though rather illogically, fgoest what a private individual savs , is'not iren. orally paid much attention'to. It. is all very well to eav that, such 6peeches should bo treated with tho silent con. tempt thojr deserve, as cmanatintt from, ignorant, irresponsible or spiteful persons, but though there-are manv -ia-thia country who are content to libel the imperial officer, who ja unablo to defend mmsolfoa-the, platform on ia tho press, there seome to be no one who troubles fo ,take up the cudgels' in his behalf. Mr.- Hindmarsh, under the cloak of the privilege of an M.P., is pleased to be offensive to,'and utter with an irrespon* lble tongue, contemptible libels', of tho Imperial officer. Docs.ho daro to sar ' these things to an Imperial officer's face? It is understood that Mr. Hindmarsh is a gentleman of standing, if so, his utterances are not consonant with his pc sitipn, since ono would expect from him' politeness and consideration, instead of Which he gives free rein to an unbridled tongue, without any thought to whom he may Jiurt or insult. Where do Mr. Hindmarsh and his friends obtain their ideae pf the Imperial officer ? Can it be from between the pages of Ouida's novels, or those of the "penny dreadful" so beloved of Sairey down tho nirey"? Their ignbr.' ance of the'lmperial officer is amazing, and if their conception of this individual is.not the result of tho study of the above-mentioned literature, it can onlr conio from their fertile and'diseased imagination. ~S £r - Hindmarsh " pleased to rem&rfc that the Imperial officer is a frequenter ft dubs, or words to that effect. Hβ little knows how sadly devoid tho lin-' penal officer is of the necessary. time to frequent his club. They are also called gilded popinjays" and other oprobrioue epithets, and thoir scarlet. tunic, • gold laco,-and "oock'6 feathers" are scoffed at, and there is a very-general impression abroad that the taxpayer defrays the cost ot-all , this gorgcousness. The so-called gorgeous-uniform, by the wavy is that ordained by his Majesty to be worn b? officers who aro proud to be his Maiesty/e servants and wear anything that he orders, even though it bo '"sackcloth , and ashes ; and tho cost of all his uniform conios out of- the slender pocket of the wearer. Lei this, bo clearly understood, llio Imperial officer is considered by the ■■'' lgnoranti'i.and-; apparently,- byMrl Hind- , "■■ marsh.' as an-' idler and a.stupid person, : ™ d .™ .|e ranks of the officers are mied with the younger sons of the "aril* te Cy -'ir eontemptibleV.balderilash! Have Mr. ■ Hindmarsh and hie f l( VortT r A 6el! \! m:r rm P°"ttl regiments ■. u-l/nf I-' u Ar ? L the ? I*™™ ' aware to what a high state of efficiency the small army at Homo has been trained f Tho4 ■ responsible for this state of efficiency aw ho officers these- people abuse P Son of w to J°™ k ™> the unagina. ion of Mr. Hindinarsh and his friends, ' MW r ■ • es P e " euc « on the spot or Major Corngan and many other New 10 i COU T tcsy d tt H*ntion that is ta^fi?n officers at Honio ?, kur Z f land^ T officers they meet in tL d 'S? Unt 7-i.- It ' ;ie that Mr. Ilindmarsh and hie. friends do not see tt to.reciprocate that .courtesy'to those' imperial officers who havo como to New Zealand to carry put tho onerous duties in connection with the defence scheme, I." I & "i ,US j bo T cniembcre<i '' is the [aw of the land, and passed by a major, ity of all parties.' / As regards the "flap-doodle" about j-oungDr sons of the aristocracy: and theoffice re of the Imperial Army,' Mr. Hindmarsh, should be aivare that officers' enter the Imperial Army through the portaleDt a competitive examination open to everybody. Thotbeins so,, thv ranks of tlio ofhoor class cannot very well be re- • garded as a close preserve' for "the voungor. sons of- the aristocracr." Jud«-' mg-from Mr.. Hindmarsh's position, one presumes that ho is a man of education.' How then enn ho utter such appalling nonsense? We read in the press jourrials of Sopteinbfr 14 that the "British troops are "given a ecvere- test." ' Thit m cold and rain they bivouacked for two nights. The rain poured down, and . they wero without fires. Thirty thousand, constitutini; a column ten miles -W. marched.twenty miles along :<i single road. -Aud these splendid troop's are trained by the iniich-abused officers who shnvo.the hardships with their men and trudge (i ong tho roads in their ■ coinpany. Ilipso are "club loafers,"' "gilded popinjays, ' "iiller.«," referred to in Mr. Hindmarsh's felicitous oration. • Uhat do Mr. Hindmarshund: his friends supiwe that tho Imperial officers nowtn tins Ddmitiion.eame out for, at consider- . able sacrifice in pocket nnd prospects? Is ie aware that the salaries they draw out Lioro are no • more than they would re:eiv(Mn similar positions at Home? These salaries do not pay for their initial expenses in fitting themselves out for ti loner residence out' here and- to cover' tho higher cost of living, nearly double that > it Homo. Then where do they .profit?'lf ' they did not come out for'the aWe najon<;, why have they ventured «i for from I.loinp at Dorponnl-sacrifice P It is time * that >?r. Hindmnrsh and thoM> ; wlio thinl: ' ivith him should bo in t.hia connection.'..Curious as it may seem to ' them, thpfe Imperial officers havo oome' jut h<>ro to assist the Dominion'withtheir professional experience/to organise and 'mm the territorial forces, for'tho Jove )f their work. To all thoushtful ' solli<Ts, Hie idea of a State which deternines that rilj its able-bodied males shall akc n hand in. its defence, appeals imnensoly. Are these unworthy motives, they such that these officers ilionld l>? trented to Hie continuclv . of. «r./-HindmarF.h and his friends?' ' Im. icri.i] officers hear these unvemly utterinces and rend of them in the press, and we smilf" tolerantly and fay nothing. JNier-i feel a p.issiug ponse of annoyance, rot., they- also pay nothing. But as has wen fcinnrked Wore, silent contempt'in ill very well. hut. when mud-if thrown, :ome of it sticks.' Also, there is a savns that a lie once told is hard to over•afce. ' Without using fuo!h o .strong exiressibn. with re.jard to Mr. Hindmarsh's iitteriracPF. let it be fa'id that misreureseht'aiion is hard to overtake. ! But what•ver their personal fcelines may be, tncM iffiwrs muftall Tesent Hie insult to liis *[.T,iesty'f uniform and their order, ' ■■