THE ORINGI TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1736, 29 April 1913, Page 7

THE ORINGI TROUBLE.

CAMPS & REPORTERS.

OPINION OF GENERAL GODLEY,

Major-General Godlcy, C.8., General Officer Commanding tho New Zealand Forces, made a statement yesterday on the subject of the recent trouble between u newspaper correspondent at Oringi camp and some of the Territorials.

The General first remarked that the whole matter was being investigated. Ho thought that the trouble arose in greut measure from reporters being employed in their civilian capacity as such while serving as Territorial soldiers at tho animal camp. "Tho citizen soldier," he said, "must of necessity bo both, a civilian 'and a soldier, but lie cannot satisfactorily be both at the same time, and ho should not pursue his civilian vocation when at camp as a soldier If he does, he is put in a false position, and unnecessary difficulties are made for the military authorities. His comrades in tho ranks not unnaturally resent any criticism of their actions or publication of any irregularities tliey may commit, or of anything that may reflect discredit; on their regiment, by one of themselves. When a number of high-spirited young men—such as, 1 am glad to say, the New Zealand soldiers are—think they have cause for resentment, they are apt to give forcible expression to it."

There is a wonderful esprit de-corps springing up in those regiments, con. tinued the General. "A point that must bo borne in mind is that the Territorials in question who threatened the reporter did not do so because he was a reporter as such, but because he was a comrade who, in their opinion, acted like the bird that fouled its own nest. Do not think from this that I wish to condone their action. 1 .entirely disapprove of it, and so do practically all the officers and the large majority of the men, ami I am taking steps to have the offenders traced and punished. I trust that next year tho editors of newspapers may be able to see their way to send to the camps one of their senior and most experienced reporters, and, on our part, 1 will undertake that they shall be provided with a teut and rations, and given'every facility to see and hear everything possible that goes on from every point' ot' view. "We shall be glad to see a limited number ot reporters m camp (say, in each district, one from each of the leading papers of its big cities, and ono lroni tile local paper) as wo are only too anxious that tiie public should know as much as possible of the doings of their Citizen Army. Till; camps are on a large scale, involve the expenditure of a considerable sum of money, and are of great importance to tile community, and I think tho public hus reat'on to expect that it shall get its information about them from experienced and accredited representatives of the press. Tho press has always helped us, and I hope will do so in this respect. Do not think, either, that I, or anyone else connected with the Citizen Army, wish any irregularities to be hushed up, or anytning concealed. We would far rather they wero not. We have nothing to fear from publicity. In fact, wo court it. But it is only human nature that we should prefer any criticisms of our actions, or reports of our misdeeds, to come trom\independent civilian outsiders, and not from ourselves.

"As regards the irregularities which have undoubtedly occurred at the camp in the Wellington district, tho only comments I have to make aro that, in tho first instance, tho disturbance made in Daimevirko was made by about a dozen men, rind, in the second instance, the moonlight march towards Dannevirko was made by about fifty men. I have searched all the newspaper accounts for any mention of the numbers concerned, and htivo read thein carefully, and am forced to tho conclusion that tho published accounts are likely to give the public an entirely faslo impression of the numbers implicated, aiid of the proportion they bear to the numbers in camp. There wero 2700 men in camp, and I can find no word of commendation of tho exemplary conduct of the 2600 odd, whose behaviour throughout would have dono credit to tho best disciplined regular troops.

"Personally, except for these few regrettable incidents confined to a small minority, I am more than satisfied with tho general conduct of the men, and their behaviour as a' whole in camp only confirms my appreciation of tho excellent qualities of the young New Zealander nnd of his aptitude for tho duties of the citizen soldier. I spent Friday afternoon walking through the camp, talking (o the rank and file of tho Citizen Army; 1 found everywhere a growing feeling of mutual respect between officers and men, ami 1 am firmly convinced that its discipline will 1« of the highest kind, based on a realisation of the necessity for it, and of a willing subordination to authority ou the part of tho youth of the country, and I have no sympathy with tho suggestion that penalties arc necessary in order to euforce it, or that their application is the best way to bring home to Territorial recruits, of which the entire Citizen Army is at present composed, the realisation of tho necessity for it. "I should like, in justice to tho men," concluded tho speaker, "to call tho attention of the public to tho fact that two such independent authorities as Polico Inspector O'Donovan and the Reverend J. A. Luxford, a Methodist minister of high standing in Wanganui, have testified to the general excellence of their behaviour, as also have many other ministers of reli-. (jion who were present in camp."

A CLERGYMAN'S VIEWS. CONDUCT OF THE MAJORITY EXEMPLARY. (By Telegraph—Special Oorreepond/int.) Wanganui, April 28. The Rev. J. A. Luxford, who was interviewed by the "Chroniclo" to-night in connection with General Godley's ment, states that the camp at Oringi from a military point of view was a success, and there was neither word nor action indicating dissatisfaction. Tho sick were attended to with dispatch. Tho chaplains received respect from the men and courtesy from the officers, both staff anil regimental, and every facility was given them for discharging their duties. 'Mr. Luxford considers tlic reports of tho Dannovirko affair are exaggerated. Mr. Luxford says the great majority of the yoaihs'Srere respectable, well-behaved young fellow#;' and their conduct exemplary. He admits I hat (here was a section whoso 'language was iillliy in the extreme—the vilest ho had ever heard. Tho whole, however, must not be judged by tho minority, it: would be as unfair as condemning a good poet for one or two bad lines. Sir. Luxford fears the alleged attempt to punish the reporter is Into. Against these irregularities it must be remembered that hundreds of tlio young fellows spant their evenings reading, writing, and in enjoying wholesome games. Ho condemns the filthy languago of tho minority, and hopes tho bluster, noise, and dirty songs of a small section will not bo considered the characteristic of tho camp. If tho authorities will take strict action to suppress the language of tlio bad element, parents will have nothing to fear about tho atmosphere of these camps. With other chaplains, he spent his evenings among tho young fellows, visiting all parts of the camp, and he could not sco any sign of liquor, with the exception of two inebriates returning from Dannevirke the last evening after leave. Mr. Luxford speaks in glowing tonus of (ho management of the marquees provided bv the Presbyterian Church anfl the Salvation Army, and advocates a larger number under the control of men of strong personality. The conduct of tho youths at Christchurch pnrades was all line could wish. The prayer meetings each evening were well attended.