BAGGING IN THE ARMY.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 35, 6 February 1930, Page 10

BAGGING IN THE ARMY.

SERIOUS ALLEGATION

Intense interest was aroused in Bri--tish. army circles a few weeks.• ago by-

the announcement that Mr Oliver win, M.P., intended to ask the Secretary of State for War why, at a dance given

recently at the Eoyal Military Aeadeiny at Woolwich, a boy 'a arm was broken

anfii^sevei-al cadets fainted..

Mi* Baldwin'himself, in an interview was able to throw some light on the mys- . tery underlying his question. "1 am told that the casualties among the young warriors was due to "ragging" of a particularly robust kind," said the exPrime Minister's son. "It appears, to be the custom to inflict this kind' of treat ment on the newcomers, who are, as a rule, youths of 17 and 18, .who come up from public schools.

'/Prior to an entertainment of the sort given when the boy broke his arm the new recruits are told to sing..some^ thing or perform some antic.. . '

<<Refusal or inability to do so on the part of 'a cadet means that he is subjected to a certain amount of ragging. As far as I can gather^ the youngsters are herded into a small room, in which they are roughly handled by the seniors.?