GUNNERS "DOWN TOOLS"

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1559, 1 October 1912, Page 4

GUNNERS "DOWN TOOLS"

AT FOOT KELBURNE. An incident which occurred on Saturday in connection with the daylight parade of tho Wellington Territorial Coast Defence troops has. just leaked out. Tho I'etone Company of the Garrison Artillery division were detailed to man Fort Kelburne, at Ngaliauranga, during the "whole day" parade of six hours ordered by the 'Coast Defence Commander (Colonel.. G. P. C. Campbell). A certain small section of tho company apparently considered that they could not, under tho Act, be called out for more than a half-day parade of three hours. Paragraph 22S of the regulations governing "Obligatory Training" distinctly provides that "the minimum amount of training to be carried out by ail ranks of the Territorial Force, Reserves, and Sonior Cadets," is to include "twelve halfday or six whole-day parades (all of which will bo exercises in tho field, except in tho cose of Garrison Artillery units, which will bo exercised at the works of defence to which they are allotted on mobilisation)." However, when tho cook-house call sounded between 5 and B o'clock, and the men were dismissed for. "spell-o and tea, a number of the . men went home to Petonc. When the roll was called afterwards, thirty-five men failed to answer to their names. An inquiry willbo held by Major Bcvan, Officer Commanding the Company, who may deal with the offenders under the-authority .vested in him by the regulations governing such cases. Should ho consider, after inquiry, that tho offences merit more severe pun-, ishment'than lies williin his authority to impose, he may refer the case to tho Officer Commanding the Division (Lieut.Colonel F. J. Courtney).