GARRISON OFFICERS CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 4

GARRISON OFFICERS CLUB.

CASTE ALLEGED. A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. The action of the members of tho Wellington Garrison Officers' Club in black-balling Captain i'randi, when the submitted Jiis name as a member of that institution, was again tho subject of question and answer in ttho iiouso of Representatives yesterday. Several Opposition members ■ asserted that the Government had allowed tho officers concerned to offend in this matter, practically with impunity, although rank and filo members of tho Defenco Forces were' punished even for slight breaches of discipline. In addition, it was alleged by Mr. i Witty and others, that tho Government was lending its countenance to a caste system in tho Defenco Forces that would and iu breaking down the military training system of the Dominion.

Replying to this and similar criticism, the Hon. \V. H. Herries said that thu Government regretted, and the Minister of Defence regretted, that an officer had been black-balled, but the Government had no control over a social club. All that the Government could do in the circumstances was to tell tho members of tho club that if they did black-ball a fellow-officer they could not be allowed to occupy Government quarters free and must go somewhere else. This was what the Government had done. It could not do moro unless it said that the club must consist of all the officers of tho district.

Mr. Payno: That is the attitude you should take up. Mr. Herries said that even then the officers could easily form a social club and meet somewhere else. ' It was impossible to- forco tho members of a social club to admit a man against their will.

Mr. Robertson: This is more tnan a social club. He added that lectures on military subjects wero given to the members of the club. Mr. Herries said that lectures mightbo given in tho ball that the club had been asked to vaeato. He was not speaking, on this point, for the Minister of Dcfence.

Mr. Russell: Do tho Government grant any concession to this club' Mr. Herries: No. Wo gave them a rccm free. They have deliberately given that up and hired other quarters for themselves. If they choose to start a club and call it tho Defence Club the Government cannot prevent them, and it cannot prevent them black-balling anybody. Such a club could not be controlled any moro than a social club. It would be a very bad thing' if tlm Government tried to control social clubs. The Defence Department recognised that a mistake had been mado by tho members of tho Garrison Officers' 'Club, and had acted upon that view. If, however, tho Government ordered tho members of tho club to admit another officer they might elect to dissolve the club. Mr. Payne: Good riddance to them! _ Mr. Herries said that ho did not believo any exception had been taken to a man's trade or as to whether lie belonged to a certain trado or not. So far as ho understood, there, was nothing of that kind. lt Wo all know," ho remarked, "that, in our social elubs a man's birth is never looked at. . . Ihore is no casto question in New Zealand so far as I know."

Mr. Payne: We are tho biggest prigs in tho British Empire! , Mr, Herries: That may be tho honourable gentleman's opinion, but I thinlc I •know as much about clubs as most people, and I never know tho . question of casto to arise. Political questions have arison, and that I have deplored. There wero members of the best clubs, or the worst clubs, he added, who had risen from tho ranks of labour, and lie bad never known of a man being blackballed on that account. Men had been black-balled because their habits or characters were not good—in this he was not alluding to the case before tlio House, he had not known anything about this caso until the honourable member for Nelson that afternoon mentir nod tho name of the officer concerned. He considered that society in New ZeaZoaland was distinctly democratic and freo from the snobbish feeling which, ho regretted to say, permeated the British Empire. Mr. Payne: I wish it wero true, Mr. Herries. Mr. Forbes: It is true. Mr. Herries said that ho thought most honourable members would say their experience was the samo as his own. Ho had known political considerations to bo raised but did not think that a man's origin affected his standing in any way. Sir Joseph Ward (referring to tho political consideration): In alleged nonpditical clubs. Mr. Herries: Yes, I rercret to say I holievo it has occurred. I have never black-balled a man on political grounds nor do I believo the honourable gentleman would. This terminated the discussion.