MUTINY AND IMPUNITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2026, 26 June 1885, Page 2

MUTINY AND IMPUNITY.

At a time when we have just emergefrom one war.scare, and may, justai likely as not, be into another next week, any matter which tends to acquaint the public with the real condition of the defences of the colony, must be deemed ; of importance more than personal or local. It is for this reason, says the ■ Eyening Press, that we think it necessary to give additional publicity to certain circumstances of recent occurrence, illustrating the utter futility of the Volunteer Service so. long as it is pervaded, as it is .at present, by political influence. It appears that there lias for some time past been a jealousy among the officers of the. Volunteers at Oamaru, and, at the sham fight which took place there sometime ago, this jealousy -came to a head with the most extraordinary, results. The circumstances are thus reported in the Otago' Daily Times:- ' .' On Monday night the Oamaru VolunM teers turned out for attack and defencJFv drills, and the plan of operation was that " the "Navals should, attempt in boats a landing within the harbor,, the remainder of the force were to defend and prevent a landing." An Artillery officer was ordered to take up a certain position, and when he sot his gun (a howitzer) in that position, to open fire, All the officers had some, days', notice of the; duty devolving upon them, and a rocket was to be the signal for operations to begin, Before the howitzer was in position the signal went up, but in two or three, minutes afterwards the gun was in ■•' position; yet the Artillery officer in,": command of the battery did not open , fire as ordered, and tho men of the . battery lounged about smoking and talking whilst the action.was going on at other points, but remained inactive, and <■. the gun remained silent. Major Sumpter, who was in command of the defending force, took up a well-selected position about 400 yards from where the.gun.was posted, but hearing nothing from the gujgk twice sent an orderly with an open fire, who each time returned with an insolent refusal from the officer to ' ppen fire. As the gun was placed so aa to sweep the entrance to the harbor with imaginary grape and shrapnel, its Bilenco became a serious matter, and Major. Sumpter, with the staff, proceeded to the spot, but when questioned by the Major on the subject, the -Artillery ' officer flatly told Mm that he would not obey any of his orders—and tliis in the hearing of the battery, and' of numerous civilians standing by; yet he was not disarmed or placed under arrest. The command of the company was merely given to a lieutenant, and the disgraced gun (a Crimean hero, with wounds) was ignominiously dragged from the field. •■•• A writer in the North Otago Times • j Oamaru, states that after the Artillery were dismissed even worse took place, for the commanding officer was hooted, and three cheers were given for the insubordinate captain. Another report adds that the captain openly and frequently, in the presence of his batteiy, and in the hearing of spectators, expressed his contempt for his commanding officer in language too bad for publication. And yet another in the same paper contains the almost incredible information that the_ artillerymen were, dismissed with their carbine! and ammunition, that ori| of them, by way of a practical joISP loaded his carbine, in a hotel and induced the barmaid to pull the trigger, telling her it was not loaded, .and that firing went on about'the town till late at night. The North Otago Times states that Major Sumpter reported Captain Creagh's insubordinate conduct to the Minister of Defence ; but it seems that political influence was brought to bear, and Capt, Oreagh not only was not punished, but was replaced in command of his insubordinate men, on making personal amends to Major Sumpter. We are assured 'that there is great dissatisfaction at Oamaru with this and we are not surprised at it, for the'.offender is a Government'official, whose: position should have suggested to. binr' the necessity of setting a good example. The truth is, it is a matter which affects the value and prestige of the whole Volunrteer service of the colony; for it is obvious that if gross and repeated, insubordination is to be passed over as a mere personal matter between individual officers, there! is an clip! to discipline, and tfje Volunteer regulations had better be rescinded, stead of exsisting only tp be vionPlfl with impunity..' Bu.t tho worst part of the whole business, the part to which we wish to draw the most particular attention, is tlio intervention of political influence, by which the lawful authority of the Major Commanding was supeiv . Beded by the Defence Office, and the mutineer was restored to the command of men whom he had actually instigated to insubordination. This is a fine way, certainly, to set about creating a creditable and offective citizen army for New Zealand. Wo hope, for the good name of tho Volunteer Service, that a searching enquiry, without fear or favor, will be insisted updn in this case.