A SCANDALOUS EPISODE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1918, Page 4

A SCANDALOUS EPISODE.

The report of the Magistrate (Mr Hewitt) who investigated the charges concerning the treatment of prisoners in the detention barracks at VVanganui makes disagreeable reading, and discloses a scandal and a blot upon the whole administration of the Defence Department that eannot be left where it is. The report virtually confirms all the complaints. The tor-' racks were in charge of a man obviously unfitted by training or temperament for the difficult work entrusted to him, He simply took the law into his own hands. It waa proved beyond doubt that prisoners actually were punched and kicked, dragged around the yard, and otherwise physically ill-treated to force them to obey rules and orders. Such brutalities to prisoners we thought were confined to Germany and Russia. They ttre totally unjustifiable and deserving of the severest condemnation, Mr Hewitt recommends that tho staff of the detention camp should be completely changed, ar.d that better provision for inspection and visitation fey properly authorised civilians as well as by public officials should ; ba ftt iinoe r enforced, If the 'bss-ratcks were, inspected, the -officials took no steps to ascertain the methods that were in use. The Whole responsibility for this deplorable state of things muat rest with the Government and tho Defence Minister in particular. The latter, when questioned in the House on the matter the other day, stated that the staff at Wanganni had been changed, but he wag unable to say whether any other steps had •been taken. This is a nice confession! It ia clearly has taineaa to know, sad more—it is his manifest duty to take steps to put the culprits upon their defence in a court of law and made to answer for their brutality. The foot that the prisoners were military defaulters doe 3 not excuse or palliate the offence. They were entitled to decent treatment and British justice, and they, got (neither. The public will not ibe satisfied until the Government take further action with a view to bringing the offenders, to book for their shocking belie viotir to those temporary in their power,