The Chronicle LEVIN. FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1916. THE MAN ADRIET.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 April 1916, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN. FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1916. THE MAN ADRIET.

'.(in? allegations of Mr JoJui Paviie. M.P., are becoming serious us regards their likely effect upon innocent people. Tiiere "is an excellent newspaper rule that prevents comment being inside upon any ease that is before the courts lor trial. Tlie Ohromcle wishes to make it perfectly clear' that in the comments that it makes hero it doe:; not speak of Mr John Payne s altitude before the Girerson JuHjimy conducted by the Government Commissionei. We refer to „\lr Payne s latest exfct aordinary ouYbu-rsfc against the -Non Zealand Minister of Defence, backed as it is by Mr Payne's extraordinary allegation about an officer of the. British army having incited certain soldiers to mutiny and murder as a protest against the receipt by them of an 'order to charge across ground raked by the enemy's fire. Mr I'ayHe a.s rcp.il'tod by a southern newspaper that T:ad him interviewed, said : '•The stories of the ramitica-t-ioiis of the German espionage system on Ganlipoii are such ;:s should prompt us to exercise the greatest caution in the selection of tho-e that- we include in the Expeditionary Force. A case is cited where an ofticer commanded nis company to go forward across ground raked by enemy fire, and the only way the men could get down was to roll over mid over. One of them, after he had gone some distance, rolled into flic fire pit of Captain , who asked him who hadi given him the order to come' down. They toirl him the name of the officer, and said 'Go back and shoot him.' which ■nas promptly done." from the toregoing excerpt we have left out the namo of the captain, but Mr Payne gives it without disguise. In justice to the captain's refutation, we feel constrained to save him (the little that, we can) from the unenviable and unjust .stigma that lias been placed upon his repute oy the publication of this story. "We do not believe it: not even in part. What light could viie mere teli.ng of an officer's name convey to the captain fwlio is alleged; to have advised the shooting?! Even 11 there had been a German masquerading as a 'British officer, he would liave taken the precaution to call himself by an English name. Mr Payne's story, in short, does not hang together in a sense of verisimilitude, and the thought occurs to us. wilir nilly. that the mercurial member oi Parliament for Grey Lynn requires a daily treatment of cold douclies until such time as tlie electors can supply him politically with the like treatment. lie is attacking the . Minister of Defence in reprehensible fashion nloob. With some of that Minister's action in resraM to administrative affairs many people are dissatisfied, but when one reads the unreasonable and unqualified remarks of Mr Pa vnc, one cannot help feeling a deep sense of regret for Grev Lynn electorate in particular and the New Zealand Parliament in .sieneral.