WHAT THE TIMES DEMANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 383, 7 April 1902, Page 2

WHAT THE TIMES DEMANDS.

COUNTRY HAS RIGHT TO KNOW EXACT TRUTH, By telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright. LONDON, April 5. The Times demands that information lie given as to the crimes that were committed by the officers. It says -that the details published are meagre, and adds that the country lias tiie right to know the exact truth of the affair.

WAR OFFICE EXPLANATION.

PUNISHMENT DESERVING THE CRIME. By telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright.; LONDON, April 5. The War Office has published the following statement in regard to the shooting affair in July and August of last year. The Bush Carbineers wererecruited in South Africa, including other colonials. They were employed in the wildest "part of the Transvaal, known as Spelonken, and took a certain number of pr soners. It came to the knowledge of the authorities iri October that there had been grave irregularities on the part of certain officers during the previous three months.

An exhaustive investigation was at once ordered.

The Court of Enquiry assembled on October 16th. The enquiry resulted in five officers being tried by courtmartial at Petersburg in January, last.; They were found guilty as the principals or accessories in twelve murders.. Lieutenants P. J. Handcock and H. H. Morant were sentenced to death.; The sentence was confirmed and carried out. : Some officers were also charged with murdering the Rev: C. Heere, a German missionary, on August 23rd. Although there was a strong suspicion that Handcock, instigated by Morant, committed the deed, the evidence was not sufficiently conclusive to justify; conviction.

Witton was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, but being present under influence his sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life. Lietuenant .1. Pickon was found guilty of manslaughter. Major Lenihan, co'mmanding the Bush Veldt Carbineers,' who became aware ol the crimes mentioned, subsequent to their committal, was convicted of culpable neglect in omitting to report them. Thereon this officer ordered to Australia, his dismissal being rendered unnecessary by the previous disbandonment of the corps. No doubt exists as to the guilt of ,he accused, whose plea of extenuation that a member of their corps suffered ill-treatment at the hands of the Boers, was not sustained by the evidence at the trial. The sentences were such as would have been inflicted on any officers found Similarly guilty^