Under Canvas.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 13, 6 May 1914, Page 5

Under Canvas.

AT THE TAKAPAU GAMP.

SUNDAY NIGHT’S AFFAIR. Takapau Military Camp, May 6. In connection with Sunday night’s disturbance the XTth Regiment was freely mentioned, but this was quite unwarranted. A ”1)” Company representative was at the head of the procession, and it was thought the Taranakis belonged to the 9th Huvke s Bay. The trouble with a plainclothes man in the police tent was also not Taranaki’s., , Tucker was the man’s name, and the cry: ‘‘We want Tucker!” had no connection with food. The Xlth’s complaint is from a very small section about food. The Xlth certainly is the best disciplined and smartest regiment in camp, and wascongratulated by Colonel Chaytor on their drill, while their behaviour was excellent. There is no truth in the statement that any of the Xlth men left parade on Saturday, as it was just the reverse. The reports in the Wellington “Post” affecting the Regiment were incorrect. General Sir lan Hamilton and General Godley arrived by special train yesterday and inspected the regiments on the march. Afterwards the camp was visited. At the Xlth’s cookhouse, the General remarked: Tr Very satisfactory indeed.” A fight occupies all the morning, and there will be an inspection of the troops and column of route marching in the afternoon. The Oruawaro Road is heavy with fog, but there are signs of it lifting. The troops from Stratford and north will arrive on Sunday at 7 o’clock with about £IBOO in their pockets.

TO-DAY’S EXERCISES AND PARADE. Later. Fine weather again favors the divisional training camp at Takapau, to-day being devoted to tactical exercises, in which practically all the troops will be in action, the scheme of operations being to test.principally the efficiency and control of the officers of the various commands. k General'Sir lan Hamilton and staff, General Godley and staff, and the Hon. James Allen are present. A patient suffering from diphtheria has been sent to Waipukurau hospital. The disease apparently was not contracted at camp, as the man was suffering from a throat affection when he entered the camp. The (general health of the men is splendid, and the majority seem to be thouroughly v satisfie.d with their, lot as 'soldiers. ‘

FURTHER PARTICULARS. The New Zealand Times special reporter gives the following account of the trouble:— May 4. The trouble had been seething all the afternoon, and it was principally regarding the training. A mock procession was made around the infantry tents, and later things assumed a very serious aspect. As the band of territorials proceeded it gathered followers, and the first scene was in the space which divides the 9th (Hawke’s Bay) Regiment from the 7th. A great crowd of territorials collected in this vicinity, and it appears that a certain section demanded the release of a comrade whom they alleged had been locked up in the guard tent belonging to the 7th Regiment, for appearing in mufti because his other clothes were wet through. The man was not there, and they went to rush the tent, hut were met by the guard with fixed bayonets. They then proceeded to the 9th Regiment’s police tent, with a similar request. "Down with the Officers!” Failing to find their man, they later returned to their original position. A cry was heard: "Down with the officers, and up with the privates!” You are only Government slaves!” and a little later half a dozen mounted men appeared and galloped through the hundreds of men assembled, scattering them in all directions. Boo- | booing and cries of "Scabs” greeted jt ho mounted men, as the large crowd lof men ran hither and thither, falling over tent lines and piling up in j tneir hurried endeavours to reach a place of safety. When the mounted men left the scene the men again col - lected, and more harangues, followed. The band marched through them and started to play selections on the parade ground close by, apparently in order to distract the attention of the men from the utterances of the ringleaders. This, however, did not act, for the cry went up: "Don’t follow them ; they arc only trying to get you away.”

A small portion of the men gathered around the hand. The mounted camp police appeared at this stage, and they were the subject of many insulting remarks, including the appellation of “Scab,” and they were loudly hooted. The troopers, however, rode on and did not take any I notice of the men and their uncomplimentary references. “We’re on Strike!” I The ringleaders called a number of jthe malcontents' away and held a meeting. Later there was. a cry: “We won’t stand this,” and the whole lot, numbering some hundreds, then proceeded to the headquarters, marquee, which is occupied by Colonel Chaytor and his staff. Insulting references were also made to General

Godley and Colonel Chaytor by some of the men. About live hundred drew up at the marquee. A couple of officers appeared in front of the tent one of whom was Colonel Malone ,of the 11th Regiment, and one of the men remarked to him: “We’re on strike, and want a decided answer (apparently to grievances) now, because we are going homo.” The position was anything but cheerful, and it looked as though the men would assuredly take ch.ugc il they did not receive satisfaction. Colonel Malone asked if there were any of the 11th Regiment there, and if so asked them to come forward and state their complaints. This was greeted with cries of “Stick together,” and hooting.

Then the most-disgraceful part of the business commenced, and that was stone-throwing. One man explained to Colonel Malone that the men wanted to return home on Friday, and declared there would be no drills until their request was granted. Again Colonel Malone invited members of the 11th Regiment to step forward and state their grievances, but none responded. The Colonel replied that he did not believe there wore any of the 11th Regiment there. One of the crowd then called out: “We want satisfaction. We won’t be treated like dogs.” Colonel Malone then remarked that if there were no 11th Regiment men present, the men had better go away. Colonel Chaytor Speaks. Colonel Chaytor who had been in his tent, then appeared and told the men that il any of them had a complaint and came in and laid it in the right way he would get an answer. He would deal with them fairly ana honestly, but he would not hear complaints against officers unless in their presence. Hooting was the response, and then followed cries of “Stick together,

“Unity is strength,” and “No drill to-morrow.” One man came forward and explained to the Colonel fwho was surrounded by a crowd of men eager to hoar what he had to say and was being bombarded with questions) that the men should only have to do nine days’ drill and that they ■ lV ere forced to do eleven. He wanted to know whether they would receive extra pay, or in the alternative be allowed to go home on Friday. Colonel Chaytor explained that the prolongation of the camp was due to the Railway Department, which would pot take the men home before Sunday next. Ho had written to the Government a month ago regarding tin extra daVs’' pay, but had not yet received a reply. As soon as ho knew the Government’s intention on tin point he would let the men know at 6 lice. Another said that they went to the guard tent to rescue a comrade whe had been put under arrest for wearing muftip hnd refusing to put on a wet uniform. They were met by a guard with fixed bayonets. Colonel Chaytor said he had no heard of the arrest and would make inquiries. A private from the 9th (Hawkoh Ray) Regiment then narrated griev ancos regarding clothing, prolongation of the camp; and insufficient food. Another Stampede. The r hundreds of men who had as sombled then' began to crowd around and at that time the mounted police appeared and went through the mei at a smart walk, and there was a stampede. Immediately cries o “Scabs” were heard, and stone-throw ing again commenced. 'J he crowd re tired about fifty yards, and one nun called out: “Come on, you /scabs make your charge!” More stones followed, and a goo, number were directed at two of flu mounted camp police who were rid ing around. “Brain the V’ wa another exclamation.

Two of the mounted men were in jured as the result of the stone-throw ing. One hud Ins oar split, and tli other got hit on the knee with a larg missile, which caused him to dis mount. Captain Powles was als struck on the arm. The order was then given for th mounted police to bo withdrawn, am this was done. Colonel Chaytor again went out t< the men and explained the position ii regard to the uniforms. He sail that all the men were told to bring : change of clothing, and headquarter: knew nothing about it if they wen stopped by their officers. Personal), he thought the men should have ; change, and also have good food, am the department had done their bos' to provide it. The Government in tended to supply a second uniform but had not yet done so. He had a change of clothing himself, but luu been wet through himself every dav it rained. Colonel Chaytor was bombarded with questions, everyone near him trying to speak.at once. During the time Colonel Chaytoi was talking to the men some person called out on two occasions: “Here’s the mounted*, ” and there was a gen oral stampede in the direction ol tin headquarters tent, which was threatened with destruction by the rush, for there must have been about twr thousand territorials present at that stage. Quiet Restored. There was no further disturbance: and the men went hack quietly to their touts and when the “Last Post’' sounded they were all under canvas There is no doubt that the cause oi the trouble is due to the wet wontluv that has prevailed, and the fact tlnr the camp ha s been spread over mon than the legal number of days; alsr that the men were ignorant of the

proper method of laying complaints, j Colonel Chaytor received a tele-* gram this afternoon that the Government Ims approved of the payment for the,, extra days. A court of inquiry lias been appointed to inquire into a report re-; garding the circumstances under which the disturbance took place.