WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

WANUANLI BARRACKS

grave allegations

(Our Special Loneap^udenL;

WELLINGTON. June 21. There is a very general reeling of re-

gi'ct here, even among tlie Xiiniidrr.; personal friends that ,sir Janies Allen j.as determined that the enquiry ini.) tiiq allegations concerning tlie Wanganui' Detention Barracks shall be held in <■--

in era. People do not question the [independence iuu! integrity of the Stipendiary Magistrate (.Mr J. (!. L. Hewitt) who has been appointed to combat the investigation, but. not of Sir James’s own month they have an indication of tlie difficulties by which this gentleman is likely to be confronted. “T had departmental enquiries made from the military and medical points of view both of which were, satisfactory,” The Minister told the newspapers the other day, “but I feel sure that further enquiry is necessary.” What the departmental officers have to say about, the comment of this sore remains to lie seen, but il, is certain all their energies will be bent towards making it appear that everything is lovely within the barracks and that the management of I lie institution has been grossly malign'oil. STARTLING STORIES, it is being contended, apparently with some -reason, that if the representatives of the Press are not admitted to the enquiry some one should be appointed to watch the proceedings on behalf of the public. The shocking stories in regard to the treatment- of inmates. of the'barracks that are flying about the country lust now ought to be probed to the bottom, no matter what the cost in money and in departmental dignity might be. Officers who have failed to satisfy the Minister, with his natural and proper bins towards constituted authority, aw to their qualifications to express an opinion upon the subject can hardly be accepted as infallible witnesses to the truth. 011 the other hand there, is a mass of evidence on tin; other side purporting to be fully corroborated, supporting tlie worst of the stories that have been told which might never reach the Magistrate through a hole and corner enquiry. PILLAGING AGAIN.

Further developments in connection with the easy code of morality which serves the purpose of some of the workers on the waterfront occurred in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. \ jnan was charged with an indictable offence of having purloined various articles from a vessel on which lie was working and when the Stipendiary Magistrate intervened with a suggestion that on aoeount. of the small value of the goods the charge should he reduced to one of simple, theft, the officer representing .the Police Department regretted that owing to the frequency of such offence? as the one alleged he was unable to accede to the suggestion. In the circumstances Urn Magistrate had no option and - the man, reserving his defence, was duly committed for trial Tie may In-, of course perfectly innocent, bat in that ease he is the victim of an evil that has assumed alarming dimensions in Wellinfton during file last year or two. Some business men go the length of stating that the cost of living is appreciable affected by the loss and waste occasioned by the pillaging of eargo.

LAND FOP SOLDIERS

The Hon, T). H. Guthrie, with the enthusiasm of the new broom directed by the experience of the practical farther, is Kneading mi the efforts of the bund* Department to nhiee returned soldiers on the hind. He has just returned from another tour of inspection in the Auckland district, with his eye on several largo areas which he thinks could be readily adapted to the requirements of men who are inclined to turn to tho smaller rural occupations. His difficulty is not with the returned farmer who wants to get hack to the calling he was following before he shouldered a rifle, hut with the townsman imbued with a new love for the open life who is reluctant to remount the other stool or resume his old place behind the counter. The Minister is hoping to make opportunities for this man on some, of the good lands of the north and to enlist him in the great army of pro-' dtioers that, must boar the major part of the burdens that will fall upon the Dominion after the war. ,