COMPELLED TO ATTEND THE RACES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3091, 23 May 1917, Page 6

COMPELLED TO ATTEND THE RACES

Sir,—There has just been brought to tho notice of the men of the N.Z.M.C. at present encamped in the show grounds at Palmorston. North, an epistle bearing the signature of "G. H. Bennett," audhoaded "Compelled to Attend the Races." A statement was made to ..the effect that the men were marched to the races notwithstanding a protest by many of them, and that about one half immediately left the course and had to return to town, a distance of three miles: Another statement was that at least four men were drunk when they returned.' To these statements, sir, the men of Awapuui take tho strongost possible exception. They consider Mr. Bennett's remarks as a piece of downright impertinence/ and desire to thank him for tho gratuitous insult that he has been pleased to bestow. Not only -wore Mr. Bennett's remarks insulting, but they were inaccurate. The men were not "compelled to attend the races." When wo fell in wo were quite distinctly informed that those who had religious objections had to fall out when the racecourse was reached. . According to Mr. Bennett's queer logic, this was "compulsion." Mr. Bennett's information that many of the men objected also comes.as news to us. The "many men" certainly did not raiso their voice loud in the land in their protesting, as nobody appears to have heard anything about it. In any case, there is no ground of objection for these men being marched to the racecourse, because such short marches as these are a regular feature of our training. We particularly object to the statement that four of our men' were seen drunk. Often, in conversation with local police officials, have I heard them pass encomiums upon the sobriety of the medical men at Awapuui. In this regard •the police have only the highest praise for the conduct of the Rod Cross men. If Mr. Bennett does not believe me, let him ask the police himself. If he doesn't like going to the police, let him ask the first man in the street. The answer in both instances will bo the same. As a matter of fact, sir, Mr. Bennett holds extreme views upon the prohibition question, and hence, to discerning men, his letter is easily understandable. His request for "a full inquiry" is the best joke the boys at the camp have heard for a long time. Really, Mr. Bennett shouldn't tickle our risibilistic faculmuch. It gives us a pain!

Mr. Bennett also considers that those responsible for this incident should be given somo position for which they are better fitted than commanding men. Has not Mr. Bennett some sense of fairness? He rushes into print with a lot of wild, vague, and impossible charges and reflections upon our officers, whom he well knows are debarred, because of their position, from answering him. Does this savour of the charity that Mr. Bennett, as a professedly Christian man iu this community, would be expected to extend to a fellow man? IV us it savours of the unsportsmanlike action of hitting below the belt. As one, who in his civil avocation had to keep a discerning and critical eye upon things administrative, T can definitely assert with the emphasis of conviction that the administration of our camp is both effective and capable. The apocryphal assertion to the contrary by Mr. Bennett is either due to a hectic bias or a woeful lack of knowledge of what ho is talking about. —I am. etc.. .:io;i Pnliiierstoii North, Mav 21, 1!)17.