THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1912. THE TERRITORIALS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 7 December 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1912. THE TERRITORIALS.

The "ord'erlv-room" held in Masterton last night by Major Skey was necessary for the maintenance of discipline. Tho men who, presuming that they had a grievance, went off dutv were each fined £l, and a lancecorporal was reduced to the ranks. For the men, it i« only necessary to say in mitigation of their offence that they -erred somewhat in ignorance. They had not been acquainted with the fact that their duty was-to lodge a grievance, if they had one, with the commanding officer. It is to be hoped that the incident will act as a warning to Territorials who are disposed to take the law into their own hands. So far as tho. circumstances that have led up to the incident are concerned, these have yet to be cleared up, and the public will not ho satisfied until a full inquiry -has been held. It is understood that the facts which were elicited last night, together with a formal gnerance lodged by tho men, will be paced befom the district commander. Tho editor of this "P»P*r, with a view to emphasising the necessity for the facts of tho case being made public, applied for permission to have a representative at last night's "orderlyroom." It was not anticipated at the time that this request would be granted ; but the application was made in good faith, and Captain Hamilton, brigade major, yesterday .forwarded the following reply: • "Dear Sir, —With reference to your letter of the 3rd inst, requesting admission to the orderly room this evening, T am directed to inform you by the officer commanding the district that press representatives are not allowed to be present at the investigation of [ charges defined on pages 7 and 8 | of the Handbook of Military Law. ! At the conclusion of the invekigatiejt, tk« eoßimanding; ojfieer win

render a report to the brigade j cor/m.'iJKlor, who will forward it, together with his remarks, to district headquarters. Should tlie officer commanding the district consider a court martial or court of inquiry necessary, the press will no doubt bo admitted." So far as the above reply is concerned, it is satisfactory. What we wish now to emphasise is the importance of holding a public inquiry. The. men having been summarily dealt with, a court martial is out of the question. In tlSa interests tiff the defence system, it is imperative that the circumstances that led up to the strike, or mutiny, o.r whatever it may bo termed, should be laid bare. A press telegram has been sent from one end of the Dominion to the other, suggesting that the cause of the men's precipitate action was the suspicion that social and political influences had been used to secure the ■preferment of a young official. We :bavo already stated that there is no suspicion whatever of political influence. This is purely and simply the creation of the imagination of an irresponsible correspondent. It is necessary, however, that this fabrication should be proved to be absolutely without a shadow of foundation. It is necessary, also, that the allegations concerning social influences should be disproved, and that the wholo circumstances surrounding the junfoi lunate incident should be investi- | gated. The rami assert that they have J a distinct grievance, and they should i bo given a full opportunity of bringing that grievance before the proper ■ authorities and the public. It is a [ matter for sincere regret that the Territorial system in this district should not be working smoothly. We are convinced that the system is in the best interests of the Dominion, I and that when the young fellows fully I realise their obligations to the State, I they w iH come to regard military duty ns a Privilege and a pleasure.' It is because of this conviction that wo desire to see any legitimate grievance ventilated and any cause of dissatisfaction removed.