E.P.S. PARADES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 137, 12 June 1942, Page 3

E.P.S. PARADES

FAILURE TO ATTEND

LOWER HUTT MEMBER FINED

•'Here is the case of a member of the E.P.S. who had repeated ordinary notices, special notices, and two letters sen^ to him. He still-does not attend parades, and offers no excuse. The E.P.S. is now compulsory, and it has got to be brought home to citizens that they have a public duty to perform. Some penalty will^have to be imposed. Ross will be fined £5, and, if this is not sufficient warning, heavier penalties will be inflicted," said Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., when convicting Clil* ford Wilmot Ross, a shoe store proprietor, of Lower Hutt, for failing to carry out the duties required of him by the E.P.S. organisation. Mr. N. T. Gillespie appeared for the Lower Hutt E.P.S. and Mr. E. Rothwell for the defendant. Evidence was given by Mr. B. S. Knox, secretary of the Lower Hutt ES.P.S., that a compulsory parade was held on May 3, when the siren sounded at 1.45 p.m. and the all-clear at 2.15 p.m. Notices of the trial were given in three newspapers. | Mr. E. S. Carey, secretary of the | supply unit of the Lower Hutt E.P.S., j said Ross was a member of the unit, and produced a register which showed that Ross had been absent from parades on March 15 and 22 and April 23, and from a ti'ial on May 3. In each case adequate notification had v been made. Recalled, Mr. Knox produced copies of two letters which had been sent to Ross asking for an explanation of his conduct, and to which no replies I had been received. During the hearing Mr. Goulding said that the defendant's attitude apSpeared to be one of complete indifference. He had not bothered to acquaint himself with the regulations. "Surely," said Mr. Goulding, "everyone knows today that it is necessary to attend compulsory parades."

The defence was that Ross had been away on May 3 and also that he had not seen-the notice in the papers.

Mr. Gillespie pointed out that any member of the E.P.S. contemplating absence from the district for a period of sixteen hours was required to notify the controller of his unit.