Military Inquiry.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1923, Page 4

Military Inquiry.

: l BY TELI-X; lt.U'll—CKK I'UKSS ASSOCIATION.! WELLINGTON, March J 7 hollowing on the death of Lean , , military Hoard of Inquiry investiga j 1(1 the ai eident. It s repot { » il| !„, |7,,. v. iriled to headquarters. Ihe news of Lean's detail caused a gr h. shack tn Ins enmradrs from Port ' : mlt tiers and Dunedin. The bode tj h ing taken »,)ttiii to-night. THE INQUEST. I'- I'- Hunt, coroner, opened an mT'lost this aft: moon in camp, uL. M - ( -_ " hii" -were cxaniiu. d. i j--,m Hi- evidence i( transpired that the oiol H'ti A|. atil i< i: tiling a raid ir.mi :. neighbouring but, barricaded til.- (likii-. and some men. to give tinchair the semblance of a sham light, iixi-d their bayonets <m their rilies, leaving their scabbard.-, on. Water had he-II thrown inti) both No AI and the adjoining hut, No A2. and presently "ioc from A2 came to remonstrate. An argument followed :t s to who threu the "aler into No ~2 and there was an tu- ( vilntinn hy someone in the No A2 contingent to "Come and put us out.” j Iho Al's an opted, and a good mmti'ed j souirio began. During this time the i lights were turned off. and when they j were switched on again, it was .seen that Lean was injured. C maid .Morrison .McLeod, of Gore, in e'idence, said when he saw some of Ids ] comrades in Hitt AI fixing their bayonets and gelling ready to receive the visitors in gund-nittim-d .sham-lighting fashion, he was near the door. and when the lights were extinguished he leaned aero-s bis blink to switch them on again, lie could only suppose that M e deceased, in the darkness, wits forced during the .scramble oil to a bayonet from which the scabbard had been accidentally removed by contact with the of some ol the struggling men. I.ieti.-Colonel Burgess. Chief Executive Ollicer I u- the Army Rifle Association. detailed the routine and the steps taken to preserve discipline in camp. There were u.c.o's in lint AI. bin as it was the last night in camp, some seniot men had left for their homes, and the juniors were in sum - ete-c.s men with no experience of military camp routine. This was not like a training enmn. Tl wtts more in the nature of a sporting meeting, and the men were on their honour to behave properly. Full details of the measures to secure proper discipline were posted up in the Standing Orders and placed in all hutments. The inquest was adjourned sine die.