EX-SOLDIER'S SENTENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1926, Page 9

EX-SOLDIER'S SENTENCE.

-*•_ »■- ■— - ■ MAY LOSE LIFE PENSION. INDIGNATION AT ROTORUA. (From Our Special Correspondent.) ROTORUA, Friday. On New Year's Eve, Thomas Duncan Burns, a pakeha, and a Maori named Murray were arrested at Rotorua on charges of disorderly conduct when drunk. They were brought up before a J.P. on Saturday, January 2, and both pleaded guilt}-. Both men were first offenders, and the J.P. sentenced Burnto a month's imprisonment, but only fined Murray £2, although both were charged with the same offence. Burns is a disabled ex-soldier; who is in receipt of a pension, and throughout the week feeling has run very high in the town at the sentence and this feeling came to head last night, when a public open-air meeting was held, under the auspices of tbe Returned Soldiers' Association. The meeting was largely attended and the Mayor, Mr. C. H. Clinkard. presided. The Mayor informed the meeting that he had made full inquiries into the matter before consenting to preside, and after making those inquiries he felt it his duty to preside and join w'th the R.S.A. in protesting against the injustice of the sentence which had been passed on Burns, not only owing to Burns being a disabled ex-soldier, but also being a citizen of the town. The Rev. Mr. Allen and Captain W. Sumner also spoke on the matter and the following resolution was proposed by Mr. F. White, president of the R.S.A., and seconded by Captain Sumner, vicepresident. R.S.A.: —"That this meeting of representative citizens of Rotorua, in view of the severe sentence imposed on Thomas Duncan Burns, a returned soldier, severely wounded on active service, and also "a first offender, respectfully uree the Minister of Justice to secure his immediate release and remit balance of sentence." This was carried unanimously. Burns is in receipt of a disablement pension for life, and this will cease if tbe conviction stands. Meanwhile, Mr. F. F. Hockly. M.P. for Rotorua. has the matter in hand and the Auckland R.S.A. is also taking the matter up.