ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24445, 20 December 1944, Page 6

ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE

■ —:— SOLDIER COURT-MARTIALLED A plea of guilty to a charge of being absent from the Army without leave was entered by Private Leslie Edward George Philpott, of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., when he appeared before a court-martial at Burnham yesterday. He was charged with desertion in that at Christchurch on July 15, 1944, he absented himself without leave until he was arrested by a member of the District Provost Section on November 29 at Christchurch. Philpott pleaded not gui'tv to the charge of desertion, but guilty to being absent without leave, and the court-martial accepted this plea. The decision of the court will be forwarded to the convening officer (Brigadier E. T. Rowllings) for confirmation, and will be announced later. TTie president of the court was Major J. L. Grant, and the members were Lieutenant J. D. Ritchie and Lieutenant A. J. Dearsley. Lieutenant L. E. Vernazoni was the prosecutor, and the defending officer was Lieutenant J. L. H. Hewland. Maior J. D. Hutchison was judge-advocate. Airgraph Service.—The PostmasterGeneral (the Hon. ,P. C. Webb) said yesterday that a considerable number .of airgraphs had recently been presented by members of the public for countries with which the airgraph service was not in operation, anti the messages consequently had to be returned to the senders. The Minister emphasised that airgraphs could not be accepted for members of the New Zealand forces in the Pacific, for members of the United States forces, for civilians in the United States, or for persons resident in Australia. In corresponding with members of the New Zealand forces in the Pacific, the public was advised to sehti ordinary letters. All such letters, he said, were flown regularly to areas in which the various units were stationed.—(P.A.)