A Touch of Prussianism

Taihape Daily Times, 7 December 1918, Page 4

A Touch of Prussianism

ILL-TREATMENT IN WANGANUI BARRACKS. ALLEGATION© PROVED. WELLINGTON, Dec. 5. The report presented to the House of Representatives to-day on the subject of the alleged maltreatment o!: military prisoners $n the Wanganui detention barracks is rather a startling document. The Commissioner (Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt) said he was asked to ascertain: (a) to what degree, if at all, the allegations in the letter to a newspaper were correct: (b) if force had been used, for what purpose it had been used; (c) whether it was lawful to use force for such purposes, and further, to make any recommendations as he might think proper for the future conduct of the institution. The method of conducting the inquiry was to see each man privately. "I have been able to discover little or no exaggertaion in the statements of the prisoners/' states the commissioner, "and so far as I have been able to cheek them, they are fair and truthful. On the other hand, I am satisfied that many of the statements made to me by members of the barracks staff were untrue." The commisioner says that in the main the statements made in a letter published in the newspapers were true, while he had obtained evidence of several other things not referred to in it.' There was, however, an exaggeration of style that tended to give a heightened impression as to some of the incidents narrated. For instance he quotes from the letter dealing with Beaton as follows: —'"The rolilowing day another objector arrived from Wellington in charge -of Sergeant Smith, of the Red Caps, Lieutenant Crampton's right-hand man. On refusing to do certain things against his principles he was forcibly dressed in denims, handcuffed and then dragged round' a yadr by means of pull-through rope round his neck, which nearly choked him. He was kicked and punched at the same time and also pushed against a waif with sickening thuds until his face was like a piece of raw steak and drops of blood were .to be seen all round the yard and also an the walls.'' This suggested that Beaton had been seriously wounded, but as a matter of fact the doctor who attended him said there were several scratches on the side of his face, none of a serious nature, but which would bleed profusely. It might be as well to state that although none of the men had been seriously injured it was possible to inflict severe punishment without leaving many marks, and he (the commissioner) was satisfied that that was what happened in this ease. BREAKING THEM IN. In regard to the specific cases of two men named Moynihan and Donovan, the commissioner says he is satisfied that it would take more than moral suasion to reduce them to subjection, yet in less than an hour both had been transformed from determined and defiant objectors to obedient and well-conducted prisoners. Each newcomer, as he came in, had been warned by other prisoners of what he might expect, iand Guard Byrne had said he heard Moynihan saying to another prisoner: "It's not a bit of good for a man coming into the barracks and saying he won't carry out the rules. They made me do it. and they can make anyone do it." Bryne had added to this, "What Moynihan said was perfectly true. If they had done it at the beginning there would have been no trouble." Bryne had warned Donovan of what he had to expect, saying, "That he had had enough of it with Moynihan. Moynihan was a marvel to stand what, he did." HOW IT WAS DONE. Generally speaking, "breaking in" "'".s accomplished in this way: — A weighted pack was put on the prisoner's back and a rifle was fastened to his side by means of handcuffs and a piece of cord, one handcuff being attached to the stock of the rifle and the other to the prisoner's wrist. The barrel was tied by a cord to his shoulder. If he was wearing a uniform the barrel was passed through the shoulder-straps. The prisoner wias then ordered to march, and if he did not march he was pushed from behind and helped along by the arms round the yard. jWhen he came to a corner he was pushed so as to bump against a wall of tin, so that he would strike it with his head. At times he was punched and thumped on the back and on the neck, and his heels w'ere trodden on. In Donovan's case, which the commissioner considers the worst, a rope was used by which to pull him round. Water was thrown on him while he was on the ground, and he was dragged for some distance along the floor of the yard. Beaton also was pulled round the yard by means of a cord, and he. Moynihan, and Donovan were caught and pulled by the hair.V. PLACING THE BLAME. The commissioner states that he is satisfied that Lieut. Crampton knew that what was being done would not bear the light of day, but it was due to him to say his position was in some

respects a difficult one. Had ho only had ordinary military to deal with, the commissioner did not think there would have been any trouble. In consequence of what Lieut. Crampton saw at Alexandra Barracks, Wellington, he resolved to have a different state of affairs at Wanganui. If his. description of matters at Alexandra Barracks was correct, it was eertainly time a change was brought about. Different objectors at Wanganui had said that as soon as they had given in there was nothing to complain of. Crampton's attitude was: ""Either I beat you or you beat me, and I'll take good care you don't beat me." EECOMMENDATIONS. The commissioner recommends that the barracks be used for the detention of military offenders only, and that objectors to military service should not be sent there. The personnel of the staff should be changed as none of the present staff had any special experience or particular qualifications fitting him for this work. Some were clearly quite unfit to act as prison warders. He suggested that the new staff should be of specially chosen men, none under the rank of non-com-missioned officers. That, in addiifon to the military official provided for, the Minister should appoint visiting civilians after the manner of visiting justices to civil prisoners, and that all members Of the Prisons B'oard, the inspector and the deputy-inspector of prisons, and the stipendiary magistrate of the district should be so appointed ex officio.