FAILED TO ATTEND DRILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 167, 16 July 1924, Page 7

FAILED TO ATTEND DRILL.

THE CASE OF K. N. WIGGINS. ADJOURNED FOR OIsTE YEAR. A few weeks ago the well-known Auckland horseman, H. N. Wiggins, was before the Police 3ourt on a charge of failing to ittend military drills and parades, and was convicted and ordered to forfeit his jivil rights for ten years. This morning application was made to have the case reheard, as certain new evidence had been discovered. Giving evidence Wiggins said that he was 19. Since he was last before the court he had had a "heart to heart talk" with the Rev. Jasper Calder, City Missioner and probation officer for the Auckland Eacing Club. He had decided that ho had been foolish in stating before that he could not attend drill because he was always away in the country at race meetings. His real reason for not attending drill was on account of his illness. Last year he had been in Rawhiti Private Hospital for some time with rheumatic fever and cardiac trouble. He was now prepared to give the magistrate an assurance that he would do his utmost to attend drill. lie was not a Bolshevik, neither was he a conscientious objector. He produced a certificate from Dr. Drier, dated in September last, which stated that defendant was not able to drill for six months on account of his illness. That he took as an exemption for military service for that period. He admitted that he did not show it to the Defence Department. The Rev. Jasper Calder: This boy, sir, is all right when he is in the saddle, hut when he stands up too long his knoos knock. (Laughter.) He was not used to standing. His behaviour was stupid, but ho was quite prepared to do all he could now. Senior Sergeant Rawle: You know that your military record is a bad one; you have been lined on two previous occasions?— Yes, sir. What do you do in your spare time? —I don't know what you mean. Well; do you ever go down near the railway station with a man (whose name the sergeant mentioned) ? —No, I don't know what you mean. Well, do you play "two up" down there? —No, I have never played "two up" in my life. Dr. Drier stated that he had attended defendant last year when he was ill with rheumatic fever. He had not seen him since, and could not say whether he was unfit for military service. Witness would not question the Certificate (produced by the Senior Sergeant), -which showed that Wiggins was classed as medically fit. Mr. Calder, speaking as an official of the Auckland Racing Club, said that if the stigma of the loss of civil rights was J not removed Wiggins would probably I lose his license as a jockey. "What will j this boy do," said Mr. Calder. "He is so small and so light that if he loses his license he can't even be a sergeantmajor, or a city missioner, or a " Senior Sergeant Rawle: He would make a good city missioner, all right. The Senior Sergeant stated that all through Wiggins had absolutely ignored everything. Mr.' Poynton: I do not want to deprive him of his civil rights, neither do I want to let him off, but I will hang this over his head for a time and he can make up all possible parades. The case will be adjourned for a year.