SERIOUS CHARGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1919, Page 5

SERIOUS CHARGES.

ALLEGED ILL-TREATMENT OP COLONIAL SOLDIERS. A question to the 'Minister for Defence, given notice of in tjic House of Representatives by Mr. H. E. Holland (Grey) is: "(1) Whether he has seen the statement of Private Sutton, published in tiie Australian press; and, if so, whether he will take steps to ascertain the name of the New Zealand soldier referred to by. Private Sutton as having been executed for refusing to work in prison? (2) Whether he will have the fullest inquiries made concerning this execution?" One paragraph in Private Sutton's statement, said Mr. Holland, reads as follow*: "You people at home, whilst reading of our victories and feats of arms on the field, could not have thought it possible that some of your own countrymen, perhaps even your own flesh and biood, were being tortured in the military prisons of France and England. I have seen men die from the scandalous treatment they received, and I can also give the names of two men who purposely destroyed their own eyeBight to escape the horrible torture, which was driving them insane. . . . In the month of August. 1f• 17. thirty-five Australians and one New Zealapd soldier asked to see an Australian officer in high command who was visiting the prison, with a view to having the treatment exposed. This interview was refused, and the men decided to do no more work. This was called mutiny. They were all placed in different cells, and sixteen non-commissioned officers of the M.P.S.C. ifjsst brutally flogged them and they were all sentenced to thirty-five days' bread and water. The so-called ringleaders were courtinartialled. The Australians, Privates Sheffield, Le flour, Mitchell, and Little, were sentenced to life terms, and the New Zcaknder and a Scots soldier were sentenced to death, which sentence was dulv carried out."