SECRET FILES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 76, 31 March 1941, Page 4

SECRET FILES.

SHOWN TO FRIENDS. ARMY CLERK SENTENCED. SYHNKY. March Jl*. lor having eommuuic.it ed secret do<-u----nienlci to people not authorised to see lliem. Cievirge Samuel Mel lutchison was -cntenced in Me.liouine's ( ity < "ourl. lo three moii!,,-' 'j nd. He w a.- al.-O s'-u----lenccd to a inonfii's impri.-oiiruent for having worn a military uniform without lawful authority. Meilutehi.-oti, VI. was a (emporarv clerk employed in Hirings 1 r.ranch ~f 'the Defence 'Department at . \ i'-toria K.irraek-. l\\:< people to whom !I he document- were shown w.ere re- ! ferrerl to in ( ourl a.- Mr. X and Mr. Y. M.I lul .-lii on'- i.oun-el. Mr. (.. 11. ■ Auiv . .-aid t hat. although documenls bore ".-ecret" stamps, thev were '.--L jestremely -cere!. Apparently rne-scm;cr boy - could read Ihe documents as they carried t hem from room to room. The ton ui'.vc.ilth l'l-0.-ceulor (Mr. I • !!■ I.rowul -aid he had been in<-trilcted not to disclose lo anyone, except to wit-ncs-es who had already -cm iheiu. to Mr. Mohr. I'.M.. :l „,l u, ,\|,-. Amy, the contents ~f tiie scire! document- eon eerned or Ihc -üb.-l a ue.. of ~ -lalement alleged to have been made |„ McHlltchimiu after his arret. Mr. lirowii f-aid Ihe document- were I lie m.i-i inij.orlaiil in the Iniim - weallh. (In,- contained mailer which Should b- -ecu by U'l-V few people. |) «a- a (i!.- eiineeriiiug mailer- pa--ing I ■••' ween ihe ( hicf of ihe Ccncral Stair , and the Prime Mini-icr. "Mellut. iii-oii v» in ked in 1 in- olliee of ! Colonel Davev . Dirc.-lor of Hiring." -aid [ Mr. lirow ii. '-Secret lib-- w-re .-cut to t'olouel Davey for pmi;.-al and liolalion. On 1-Vbruaiy L'l. M,| liilehi-on went to Captain Pear-.n"- olli-e and handed Secret Document ;,f lo Major Krlilaiul. Late,- Davev inil killed Ihe ilnriimciil and < 1|, c,l i! Icl.inarv -.11. Davev did not ->■•• ii attain until Mar.h ' ::. when Bri-adier 11.-nera! Mnnin, i, -bowed it to llim - ■■'■ ] -■''"' lie had r. ived it from :l Ictnporai-y- el-rk nam-d |.. ui- l.iraml. Mclllltehis,,., -~id be c-nli-.ed ill the '•■'-' «ar at the ace' ~f | 7 ~„,( u;l4 ~;,, sulli i ing from the clTe, t.. ~f s.i~ and I" I "''' injuries. -1 have been a fool." i |n -■'"I. "Kail ,-nlmiui-lralion at the barrack- goi on m;. m-rve-. The department to which Mr. \ b-l.mg.-l had a lot of with my depart inent. Allhongh only three ~f „ m ile separated „nr <bpart merit-, it j,„,k live days for communication- to -~, ~■,,„, can- lo the other." When imposing -cntn.ec \|r M,,hr P.M.. said that 1,.. ||„.„..],, M,.|| n ,.iii.' '•on - n-.oiive in reuiovin- document, and disclo-ing their c0„t,,,1-. and al-o i„ m.i.-ipierading a- an officer, was merelv to impre-s |,js friend- and t,, per-uad'c ''"■»' '''.-it !u> held a miieli more iniporHint la.-k at the barracks (hail he in luallv <lid.