Naval Rating Is Sentenced To Two Months’ Detention

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 12

Naval Rating Is Sentenced To Two Months’ Detention

(New Zealand J AUCKLAND, January 13. Able Seaman Hone Komanga Emery, the Auckland Rugby representative and a member of the Maori team which toured Australia last year, was found not guilty, when he faced’ a courtmartial in H.M.N.Z.S, Philomel today, of striking a petty officer. The Court found Emery not guilty on a further charge of attempting to strike his superior officer, but senteoced him to two months’ detention for wilfully failing to assist the officer when he had been .assaulted by a junior rating and for wilfully failing to 1 report the assault. Emery (Mr M. Robinson) pleaded not guilty to the charges of striking his superior officer, attempting to strike him and wilfully failing to assist the officer when he was assaulted by a junior rating. He admitted the charge of wilfully failing to report to a responsible authority that the officer had been assaulted, thereby being guilty of neglect to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline. The first, prosecution witness, Petty Officer Electrician Stanley Victor Dormer, said he was asleep bating woke huh- about 1.30 The rating was' “arguing the point” . with him—when Emery came on the scene. "Punched Me Twice” The first rating struck him. said Petty Officer Dormer, and then Emery punched him in the face. Emery punched him twice, he said. Petty Officer Dormer said be fell to the deck, was aware of being kicked, and then lost, consciousness. When he regained consciousness he found he was back in his hammock. He was able to make his way to the officer of the day, and was taken to the naval base hospital. Surgeon-Lieutenant lan Gordon Drury, R.N.Z.N.V.R., said he examined tj>e petty officer about 3 a.m. and found he had concussion and multiple contusions on the head and chest. The injuries were

Press Association) serious enough to warrant his a admission to hospital. - Lieutenant Murray Charles Ver. e ran, originally acting as prisea- - er’s friend, agreed thsft Emery had it "achieved quite considenbla :- sporting fame.” He agreed that 1 the other rating mentioned in t. the proceedings also was of Maori t blood. Prisoner’s Evidence r Emery told the court he rea turned from leave about 1.30 a.m. y on November 14. He was putting n up his hammock in the Kanlera r/ when a friend came in and said he □' was "in the cart” The friend . left, and Emery said he went in ) search of him and found him s standing with Petty Officer Dorr, mer in the electrical ■ artificers’ I- Workshop. Emery said he saw hie r friend nit the petty officer. r He did not want “to get in* e volved” and told his friend to a come back to the mess. The friend - left the workshop, but later rey turned. I- Emery said It was not true that il he had struck Dormer. "I never laid a hand on him,” he said. s, To Mr Robinson he said he did y not help the, petty officer or rep port the incident because he did e not wgnfc to RgLjpvolved. a Carilaur'B. jS?-Turner, president i. of th* coprL aiiid- that in decide ing. the penalty the court had y taken Into consideration the time Emery had spent iri custody. He had been under close arrest for j five weeks. J It .is understood that a second naval court-martial will be held , on Thursday to hear charges "’ against another rating. U ' s Niue Island will be represented ■ tor the first time at the Trentham Police School, which began the k 10th reeyuit course yesterday, ® when J. Solomona joins his 89 ’I New Zealand colleagues on Thurs- ® day. Also on the course are five women. Ages on the course range n from 19 to 35. A new cadet ding > —39 boys age<( between 17 and 18 3 —began classes yesterday and the n 37-strong Walter Nash cadet wing e entered the second year of its e 19-month course. .