Warning To Cadet Corps Captain On Army Orders

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 13

Warning To Cadet Corps Captain On Army Orders

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, Dec. 14. Advice of the punishment to which an officer or soldier is liable for contravention of orders has been given by the Army to Mr N. P. H. Jones, an Invercargill city councillor and vice-presi-dent of the Invercargill Returned Services’ Association. A cadet corps. captain. Mr Jones has ardently advocated that defence expenditure should be concentrated in New Zealand on civil defence. He has taken the subject of civil defence finance to the top political level on behalf of several organisations. Now he has been escorted to the Army Area 12 officer and told that he has contravened Army orders and been told of the punishment to which he is liable. Mr Jones was warned that further contravention would result in a charge.

Mr Jones has elected to resign the cadet corps commission. This was revealed when Mr Jones was approached about civil defence. He said he could not

comment on the subject until his resignation became effective. The New Zealand Army Act says: “Every person who commits the following offence, that is to say—neglects to obey any Army order, standing order, routine order, or other written order—shall on conviction by court-mar-tial be liable to suffer imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or such leas punishment as is in this act mentioned." Mr Jones was advised that the order he contravened reads: “Except with the approval of the Army Board, or an officer authorised by the Army Board to so approve, an officer or soldier will not publish or communicate either directly or indirectly to any unauthorised person his views any current military subject or his views on any matter of Government policy connected with the armed services or national defence.”