TROOPSHIP NO. 49

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2808, 28 June 1916, Page 6

TROOPSHIP NO. 49

AN OFFICER ATTACKED FULL INQUIRY PROMISED DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE Another long discussion on happenings on troopship No. 49, while on her voyage from "Wellington to Egypt, occurred in the. House of Representatives yesterday. Another letter was received making charges against Major Brcroton, and on this occasion some notico was taken of it. The matter was brought up by the Minister of Defence laying on tho table a copy- of the bill of faro showing the food served out to the men of the Eleventh Reinforcements on Troopship No. '19. He read a portion of tho document to show that tho bill of faro was an excellent one.

Mr. C. H. Poole said that the bill of fare was excellent. Ho pointed out, however, that tho writer of tho letter that he rcccived last week laid emphasis not upon the quality of tho food, but on the chargo mado against the officer commanding tho transport ill connection with tho language alleged to have been used by him in addressing the non-commis-sioned officers who signed tho potition of complaint regarding the food. He recognised tho necessity for preserving discipline, but no ofiicer had the right to use such remarks as .woro alleged to liavo been used in this instanco to men who had not the right of reply. The Letter Read. Mr. M'Combs read tho following letter, which ho 6aid had been received by a resident of Wellington from a member of the Eleventh Reinforcements, who was on Transport No. 49:— "We are now nearing our destination after as line a weather passage as it was possible to meet, so am making use of an opportunity to let you know how the world lias been wagging in our limited 6phere. The dull monotony of troopship life has only been broken once since we left Albany, and then in a .manner which was anything but satisfactory to the individuals concerned, your humblo being one of them. The trouble arose over the food,-for from tho time wo left Albany it was simply scandalous the way we were fed, tho meat being absolutely putrid, and on one occasion fish also; if by chanco it was good, thcu the socalled cooks murdered it. Despite numerous complaints it continued bad, and quito a number of tho company were out for no drill until it was remedied. The danger of such an action was pointed out to them, and then a petition to tho O.C. of tho ship was suggested, so one with 103 signatures (and a number more could have been obtained had they been desired) was presented to Major Brereton, the senior officer on board.

"Among tho signatures wero twelve n.c.o.'s names, and tho following morning (April 27) wo wore informed that our presence was required at headquarters. On our arrival Major Brereton and five officers wero waiting to receive us, and straight away the major started as cowardly and as scurrilous an attack as ever 1 had to listen to without the right to reply. He was fortified by tho Tied Book on Military Law,' and evidently had been preparing, as all tho spicy parts wero marked. Ho led off by reading the petition and declaring ub guilty of mutiny, the penalty being death, and made no bones about letting us know that being on native service life was as much thought of as a bit of our equipment. He was now right in a rage as one of our chaps asked permission to speak, and also interrupted him. Aftor threatening the unfortunate with close arrest if ho dared to speak again, he continued his abuse by telling us that we were cowards, and should be in New Zealand with the skulkers, and further said if the rest of the mon on board were like us it would be good for tho Empire, the Army, and all aboard if a German submarine wore to torpedo us.

"After more hot air as to us not being fit to bo with any reinforcements, and should be sent back to New Zealand (I wish to God ho would), ono of our boys asked him to withdraw his remark about tho torpedoing of the ship. This he refused to do, and then, realising his illjudged utterances, we were marched off. That is the way the Major treats the N.C.O.'s who stopped men from committing a mutinous act, and who had no hand in the petition, simply signing it, as thoy dine with the men and eat the same rotten food. I am enclosing a copy of the petition to see if you could find anything mutinous in a request from a body of men to have ■ a grievance rectified. "You are quite at liberty to hand this letter to tho Press, and givo it tho publicity it deserves, for I think an ouicor who makes such an exhibition of his ignorance is not fit to be in chargo of any body of men, and also utters seditious remarks about tho torpedoing of a troopship. That is all tho excitement we have had since wo left Albany, although our stay in that city was enjoyable, and the people gave us a real good time." What the Men Asked. Mr. M'Combs read also tho following petition reforred to in tho letter, presented by the men to tho Commanding Officer on the Transport: To tho O.C. Troopship 49.

Deal' sir,—Wo tho undersigned members of A Company, Elevonth Reinforcements, declare that wo find the food given us aboard tho troopship vory unsatisfactory, and despite continual complaints mudo to tho officer of tho day, continues bad in quality, method ol' cooking, and insufficiency of sauio. When we enlisted we hardly bargained for this treatment, thinking that surely men going to do their utmost in their country 3 defence would bo \ treated as men, and fed properly. This hall ill which we tako our moals has a most unhealthy ami foul smell, which wo think could bo remedied. Hoping wo will fiud immediate improvement in eanvo, We are, sir, ' Yours respectfully, (103 signatures, including 12N.C.0.'5.)Tho Minister of Defence, moved that the letter just read bo laid upon the table. To Protect the Writer. Mr. Veitch asked for an assurance that if the letter was laid 011 the table some protection would bo afforded to tho writor, who ho presumed- was now at tho front. Mr. Allen: So is tho officer who has boen' condemned. Mr. Veitch said that tho matter was so serious that both tho officer and the writor of tho lotter should be brought back to 'New Zealand, All inquiry away from New Zealand would 1)0 a gravo injustico to the man who wroto tho letter. Ho (Mr. Veitch) was amused at fho simplo faith that the Minister placed in officers' reports. Such reports, especially when a question o£ discipline was concerned, were of vory little value.

Mr. WiLford expressed the opinion that steps should bo taken to havo tho matter cleured up.

Mr. Isitt asked whether tho writer of tho letter was not guilty of a military offence, oven if the statements he inado wore correct.

Mr. Allen: Ho should have mado his complaint to his commanding officcr. Mr. Isif.t Baid that supposing tho maji's statements were found to bo warranted, lie should not bs penalised.

About the Officer Accused, Mr. Hudson said that Major ■ Broreton was one of his constituents, and ho had known him in civil life as u man of the highest possible standing. Mr. Jennings: Hear, hear. I know hi in, too. Mr. Hudson said that Major Broreton had done his duty in South Africa, and had been dangerously wounded in Gallipoli. He had returned to tho Dolnimon fn such a physical condition that it was not expected that ho would ever be ablo to go to the front again. As soon, however, as ho had recovered sufficiently in his own opinion (although not that of his friends) to bo able to go to tho front again ho had volunteered for further service. He did not think that an officer of suoh standing could bo guilty of

such conduct as had been alleged against him. Ho was present at a wclcome homo that was given to Major Brereton and a numbor of returned soldiers, and was struck with tho evidences of esteem and affection on tho part of the men towards tho Major. Too Serious to Pass Over. Tho Right Hon. W. F. Massey said he did not know Major Brereton personally, but he know that he was an officer of good repute. lie (Mr. Massey) believed that Major Brereton was ono of the very best officers in the New Zealand Forces. Since the matter had been raised in tho Houso he had received three lettecs, ono from his own constituency, and two from outside, from people who had received letters Irom their sons who wont to the front on Troopship No. 49. Two of theso lotters he had handed to tho Defence Minister, and they had been rend to tho House. Ho had received another on Saturday from a respectcd resident of Uorrinsvillo. Tin's man had received letters from his son, ono on the ship and one'from Egypt after arrival. The son wrote from the ship: "Wo arc very comfortable, tucker good, hot salt water baths, etc.," and Irom Egypt. "Wo have had a very pleas-, ant: trip over." The ohargo made against this officer was a most serious charge, which might have a very bad effect on recruiting. Tho chargo could not be passed over. Ho could not say how tho inquiry ought to be made—he did not know enough about military matters—but tho statements made would be probed to tho very bottom. The country should know who was to blame, and if blamo was attachable to cither of tho two persons concerned, the man or tho officer, then the punishment should "bo worthy of tho offence. (Hear, hear.)

Air. J. Colvin (Butler) said ho believed Major Brereton to bo a good man and a good officer. But he would remind -the .Minister that there were men in the ranks who travelled in the' troopships who were just as good men, and just as much entitled to credence as any officer in tii'e Forces. (Hear, Tiear.)

Inquiry Should Not be Military. Mr. J. A. Young (Waiknto) said be thought that in fairness to all parties there should be a full inquiry in New Zealand, but not under military control. .Ho feared that there would be danger of this man whoso letter had been read being subjected to tho tyranny of tho military officers if the inquiry were conducted in France.

Mr. G. J. Anderson (Mataura) said ha thought tho Minister should give the House an assurance that the inquiry would bo made in this country. This was a very sorious chargo that had been made, and a serious business to tho man and the officer. The case should not bo judged by the military authorities. Consciously or unconsciously the officers sitting en a Military Court might bo biased m favour of the officer as against the man. In the meantime it was most unfair to condemn either the man or tihe officei'.

Mr. C. E. Statham (Duncdin Central) said he had no inierest in either of tho men concerned. Ho warned tho member for Lyttelton, however, that by layiiup tho letter on the table the man would virtually stand convicted of a military offence, because the writing of tho letter In itself was a military offence. He would bo satisfied if the Government would guarantee that officer and man should be brought back and given a fair trial. Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) also urged that tihe parties should both be brought back.

Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh (Wellington South) said that a special committee of the House should be set up to inquire into such cases as that under review. He declnred that the Minister of Defence wis likely to take the side of tho officer iu every dispute. Mr. Allen: It -is very unfair of you to say so. Mr. Hindmarsh retorted by charging tho Minister with having favoured officers by making special provision for Lady Godley to go on a transport from this country. He had been told by a plumber that the cost of the extra plumbing alone was .£BO. This expenditure of the country's money showed gross favouritism of officers. Defenco Minister Explains The Defenco 'Minister, in reply, said ho had listened with a certain amount of amusement to tho debate, although it had a serious side. He regretted that tho member for Wellington South had brought up Lady Godley's name in the House. That lady was unable to defend herself, and she had a right to be defended. He informed the member for Wellington South that the Government was under contract to return Lady Godley to England, along with the wives of all British officers who had come out ;here. This contract was fulfilled by sending those ladies on the transports. Ha knew nothing of any alterations on the ship to meot the special convenience of Lady Goodley, and ho would accept tho honourable gentleman's challenge to lay on the table of the Houso «i return of the expenses incurred to meet tho special convenience of Lady -Godley. It was very unfair to say anything about Lady Godley, who. since she had left New Zealand, had given all sha had to give, and had dono very valuable work for our sick and wounded soldiers in Egypt. Man will be Protected.

This case concerning Troopship No. 49 had been brought up ouce beforo. He had thon nothing to go upon except the petition presented to the officer commanding the ship. He asked tho member for Auckland West, who raised tho question, to give . the name of the writer of the letter of complaint, but the honourable member did not givo tho name. The member for Lyttelton had consented to give the name of the writer of tho lotter he had read. Ho wished to give this assurance: he had asked that the letter be laid on tho table of the House, and the man who wrote tho letter would not suffer by any action of his. Tho man would bo protected. But tho charge had gono through tho newspapers of tho country against the officer. Nobody had protected the officer. And he (Mr. Allen) was asked to bo silent, and to mako 110 criticism of all that had occurred! This officer must be adjudged "nol guilty" until 110 was proved guilty, but yet peoplo w'oro saying already that ho was» a harsh and cruel maji. He gave tho Houso tho assurance that tho fullest possible inquiry into tho charge would be made. He could not give a definite piomiso that both of tho men would bo brought back to New Zealand at once. A careful preliminary inquiry would bo inado as to whether' it was justifiable to bring back cither of tho men. A Warning to Members.

Ho also wished to say to the Houso that if honourable members wanted tho Expeditionary Force to do ibs work, they fthouM not interfere without just cause with the course of proper discipline. 'J'heso transports were a very difficult proposition, and tho fact that thoro had lieou 60 few accidents and so little trouble on tile transports was due to the proper ojouciso of control by tho New Zealand officers and non-commissioned officers. Ho resented strongly tho assertion that lie was more likely to defend tho officer than tho private soldier. Tho Minister of Dofeneo had a duty to tho private soldier just as ho had a duty to the officer, but ho was not going to allow anybody to make a set on an officor because ho held His Majesty's commission. It was his duty to protect botli officer an 3 man, aud tlmt be had always dono in the past. Very often there were frivolous complaints made about transports, arid investigation had shown that these complaints ought never to Jiavq been brought before tho House, as some of thorn had _been. Tho effect of the public ventilation of theso complaints had been to poison tho public mind, and the#- had been brought np for reasons which ho would leave, honourable members and tho public to gather. Ho held letters from other men on tho ship, who stated tho food was good. It might have boon that on some one occasion tho food was not irell cooked. But there were thousands of soldiers who hud eaton bad food without complaint. Others grumbled, but to growl was tho privilege of tho soldier, and to growl did no iiarm so long as it was not made use of for purposes which wcro not in tho interests of tho forces. Every effort would bo mndo to in<(uiro fully into tho case. Mr. M'Combs laid tho letter and tho potition sent by tho men to the officer on tho tablo of tho House. Mr. Allen, ni'for examining tho documents, informed the House that neither petition nor letter boro signatures. Mr. M'Combs said that he had undertaken to get tho namo of tho writer of tho letter, and to give U to tho Minister. This he would do.