COURT SENTENCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1945, Page 3

COURT SENTENCES

SOLDIERS CHARGED

TERMS OF DETENTION

The findings of the district courtmartial which sat at Papakura camp for four days recently to hear charges of desertion while on active service in New Zealand preferred against 27 soldiers, nearly all of whom were members of a reinforcement for the N.Z.E.P., have been considered by the convening officer and promulgated to the accused. One man, Private Harold William Griffiths, was acquitted. Twelve who were found guilty of desertion were sentenced to detention for either 90 days or 150 days. Two non-commis-sioned officers were reduced to the ranks and one received a sentence of 90 days in addition, The charges of desertion were not sustained in 13 cases, the men being found guilty of absence without leave. One accused was admonished, another was fined £4, while other sentences ranged from seven to 40 days' detention. Found guilty of both desertion and absence without leave, another man was sentenced to 60 days' detention. The finding in one case has not yet been confirmed.