"RETURNED EMPTIES." Enquiries at the Wrong End.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 111, 16 August 1902, Page 8

"RETURNED EMPTIES." Enquiries at the Wrong End.

IT is evident that public feeling is deeply stirred over the state of affairs alleged to have existed on the troopships that have recently brought so many of our young soldiers home. Even although the regulations go\ermng space for returned troops may not ha%e been contravened, still the large number of deaths that have occurred both here and in Australia have touched the public sympathy, and ha\e been instrumental in causing enquiries on both sides of the Tasman sea. The pity is that investigation as to the accommodation was not made before the troops were shipped for South Airica. As far back as December, 1900, when the allegation that Britain did not care a pin for her "returned empties" was never thought of, the crowding of 700 troops into the space originally allotted to 800 men was not only not openly complained of, but the New Zealand authorities accepted the conditions apparently as unavoidable under the circumstances. *• * * The air space on these troopships is measured off by the War Office, and latterly what is deemed by the regulations to be requisite for each man has been apportioned to him. There is the lika allowance for every returning soldier. Officers' lives being more precious, the regulation does not affect them. The regulations are carried out. and, as far as the War Office is concerned, there the matter ends. The imputation of ill-treatment, if imputation there be, therefore appears to rest with colonial officers. These having strictly followed regulations, are probably not legally to blame for the discomfort to the troops. The commanding officer of a troopship is the absolute ruler on board, except in matters pertaining to the navigation of the ship. He has power to rule that if the men's quarters are crowded they shall occupy some of the large space set apart for himself and his officers. Has this ever been done ? • • • The regulation do not require it. It is not likely that a gentleman who is able to have a wash three times a day, heaps of room to live and sleep m, whose blankets are "dead," and whose tea is not boiled in the same pot in which the meat for the same meal was cooked, should share the discomfort of the rank and file by giving up a little of his large space to imalids, is it ? In that 1900 troopship before referred to 12 officers had more room than 300 men. This was not against regulations, and they were not to blame naturally. An "isolated" patient was strung up in his hammock down on the lower troop deck, the " isolation " being effected by making ropes fast to stanchions at a distance of four or five feet from round the patient. The ropes were probably there to keep back the infection. The patient could have had a chain to himself on the officer's deck, but it was against regulations. One could hardly expect officers who are "rankers" themselves to thus associate with the men, could one? * *■ * Colonials are thin-skinned. They are too used to being as free as air to accept what " Tommy" would look upon as inevitable, besides this, if

"Tommy" dared to complain except in the ordinary course, and to anyone else than his officer, he would be a fit subject for immediate "clink." Enquiries will probably do no one any good. Anyhow, colonials do not need much more troopship accommodation. If the lot of the British Tommy, who growls not, and who will use troopships again, can be bettered, enquire away by all means. The question of air space, pedicular blankets, greasy tea, and hospital accomni' dation for colonials should have been threshed out two years ago, and not left until the necessity for all the bother is past.