Statement by Col. Malone.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 98, 27 December 1913, Page 5

Statement by Col. Malone.

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

RECENT PROSECUTIONS.

: Considerable public interest having been aroused in the matter of the recent prosecutions of Territorials for breaches of the Defence Act, it was thought desirable to see Lieut.-Col. W. G. Malone, officer commanding the Taranaki Regiment, with a view to getting further light on the subject. |on being approached and on learning [the object of the visit, Col. Malone 'reminded the interviewer that men in military positions were naturally [chary about, getting into print in any lease, and especially so in eases where (they were attacked in any way in the [performance of their military duties. If they were in-the wrong their superior officers dealt with and punished Ithem : if they were in the right they had just to grin and bear it. How'ever, there were exceptions to every rule; and he thought that, without any impropriety, a statement by himself might help'.all hands to a real understanding of the position, and thus jdo much good. In the matter under ■ discussion there were involved the ;civil law of the land and the law of the Army. The civil law of the land, made with the most decided approval of the peopl.e of New Zealand and most loyally supported by them, established universal military training; and it required those liable to service as Territorials, inter alia, to observe in every year of service JO drills, 12-half-day parades, and 7 days in camp. A breach of this law, like a breach of any j other law, obviously involved the offender in prosecution. In prosecution for breach of any law it is clear to anyone that discrimination in military proceedings is practically impossible. All right-thinking people scout the idea of any discretion being left to those responsible for initial proceedings as to which offenders against the law shall be prosecuted. British fair play has never allowed us even to dream of such a discretion: one law °r all—rich and poor, strong and weak, good and bad. It is for the Magistrate or Judge who sits in judgment to use discretion and see that the law is not harshly enforced. It is for him to ascertain all the facts, to take into account any. mitigating circumstances and to fit the punishment to the offence. The law of the British Army is that disciplinemust prevail and that all members of the Army must submit willingly and strictly to discipline. British Army law is based on British civil law and both laws are admittedly the best laws in the world. Failure to observe thp drills, parades: and attendance in camp to which reference ms already been made is not only a breach of the law of the land, but is also a breach of the law'of the Army, that is, of discipline, Though, of course, not punishable twice, the particular laws affecting attendance at drills and parades were so supplemented as to render any brdach of them a breach for which the offender had only himself to blame. There was power to all officers commanding units to grant leave of absence, and any Terri_ I tonal obtaining leave of absence was not an offender. There was power also in the case of men who from inevitable circumstances were unable to apply for. prior leave to excuse them after due inquiry and so obviate an iffence, the granting of leave being implied in such cases. Now, the facts in recent cases were that, although the offenders were undoubtedly meij of fair if not good record, they had chosen to take French leave, and there were no inevitable circumstances preventing them from applying for leave or from parading which could excuse them and bring them within the rule of implied leave. In one case the defaulting member had been, with the other nembers of his company, extra-speci-illy notified of the parade at which he failed to attend. He works in the same office and building as bis commanding officer and must have seen aim repeatedly during the morning of di j parade; yet he neglected to ap-> ply for leave and absented himself without it. Ho took his risk! From the same parade, other members of his company—good lads, too, with, however, not such good records as the other, lint like him working in the same office and building, as their commanding officer—abstained from applying for leave and took upon themselves to absent themselves without leave. They had a while previously informed their commanding officer that he could call parades and he would see how many men attended—a direct, but, he thought, a thoughtless challenge. Obviously, the officer commanding was in duty bound to report them and the authorities were bound to prosecute them. If any man of the Xltli Regiment thought he was being harshly or unfairly treated he had a right of appeal to Col. Malone, and if he did not satisfy the man he could appeal to Col. Malone’s Brigadier and so on up to the General Officer Commanding. He would he sure of justice. Without such appeal or appeals is it suggested that a man of the Regiment will not get justice at the hands of the Magistrate if the offence is one which is Magisterially triable?' Surely not! Col. Malone had not hoard that the men affected are complaining, but bo is confident that they and all members of the Xlth Regiment mean to play the game and to try, if necessary, to take their gruel like men. Col. Malone said lie felt that the people of Taranaki, as well as every member of the Taranaki Regiment, took a natural pride in tiie Regiment and wanted it to lie the bestdisciplined Regiment in the Dominion. He was very pleased and proud to say that it was one of the host, the men being full of soldierly qualities. In I i the record for attendance at camp it >

was first out of the* thirty-two ItegiUKMits ill New Zealand, He had at first thought that the Dominion youth would he very hard to discipline, but he was pleased to say that he had been wrong. He had found they were wonderfully amenable. They,had only to generally know the reason for things required of them or to have confidence in the officer who gave them orders and tliere was nothing vney would not do.