"NEWTOWN PARK SCANDAL"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 212, 13 September 1901, Page 2

"NEWTOWN PARK SCANDAL"

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ENQUIRY, | PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington, September 12. The roport of the Royal Committee of Inquiry which was set up to inquire into the conduct of the Newtown Park camp during the recent Royal visit, was laid on the table of the Ho ise to-day. The Commissioners report that Newtown Park was wholly unsuitable for an encampment of mounted men at that time of the year; that not snfficient measures were taken to pro vida rations for officers and men ; that there appears t) have b*en wholly insufficient provision by officers of the day, or othnr orderly t'ffloers, to is'.ue cooked rations at camp. There was no inspection by the Officer Commanding Wellington DisMicb of the site of tha camp, or of arrangements made for the oomfort and co-ivenieL.ee of men ar.d horses. The wishes and orders of the Deftnce Minister were that men and horses were to be prope'ly accommodated ar.d lationed, Although (says the repot t) the demonstration! in camp cann it in any w*y bi justified, it may b-.» urged by the men in fxt nuation tbat proper complaints h-td wholly] failed to obtain any repress of their undoubted grievance Such n'-glect of: tho men's legitimate complaints tend i to incite to breaches of discipline. As I to Colonel Ponton's words, " cowardly ; curs," the report sivs that it applied oily to those prestn' (if any) who had taken pirfe in the demonstration, In i conclusion, tho Commissions! s iv.com- i mend : —(1) That a full bat'aliun i should ba appointed for each battalion j of mounted rifiis as soon as possible;'' (2) that sufficient; proper cooking uten- ji sils should be is-ued to every country corp*, and that in future at all en- ] campm.nts rations should ba is'U'di uncooked to battalions and companies; i (3) that greater attention should be given to the training of officer* of i volunteers in stiff duties, especially in ] those known as "B" duties, or the 1 quirtermistrr's depir'm nt; (i) thit | in future large companies should be 1 officiary inspected by an officer of the i permanent staff, with a view to ensur-,] ing that all proper arrangements lire ( made in cnneoiion with the c.mp i prior to i f s occupation by troops. j