HIGH TREASON CHARGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24982, 17 September 1946, Page 7

HIGH TREASON CHARGE

TRIAL OF MAJOR COUSENS EVIDENCE BY ACCUSED COMPLETED (Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY) Sept. It, Giving evidence in the case la which he is charged with high treason, Major Charles Hughes Couqsena described the Bunka prisoner of war camp where he and 24 other Allied prisoners were held. The food was “really shocking” and bathing facilities consisted of a wooden tub which the prisoners were allowed to use after the Japanese had bathed and washed their clothes in it. Cousens said that he collapsed from lack of food in June. 1944, and was in hospital for a month. On returning to Bunka he collapsed again and spent more than three months in a civilian hospital. After that, he was returned to Bunka where he stayed until the armistice.

He heard of an American officer who was executed because he was caught with parts of a broadcasting script underlined. While at Bunka Cousens frequently discussed with others plans tor sabotaging broadcasts. When the Japanese surrendered. Cousens refused to broadcast, and later gave all the information which he had learned to a British naval officer.

Before commencing cross-examina-tion, Mr W. R. Dovey, K.C., for the Crown, said that General MacArthur’s headquarters had no knowledge of an order supposed to have been issued by General MacArthur or Admiral Nimitz that prisoners were to carry out Japanese orders rather than submit to torture. When cross-examined. Cousens said that he never thought during the war that the Army might misconstrue his conduct