OFFICER'S LAPSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 37, 12 August 1943, Page 7

OFFICER'S LAPSE

AIR FORCE TRANSACTIONS

On the advice of the Crown Law Office it had been decided not to prosecute the Air Force officer who was recently cashiered at Christchurch, stated the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) in the House of Representatives on Tuesday during discussion of the Auditor-General's report. Mr. Fraser was replying to a question by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland) who had asked why a prosecution had not been taken in that case.

Mr. Fraser said that the officer in question had come to New Zealand with a high reputation. He was one of the most efficient officers that had ever come to this country, and had. given wonderful service to the country and to the Air Force. It was doubtful, according to the advice that had been given, whether a prosecution would hold in the circumstances of the case.

Mr. Holland: He was cashiered for the offence, and there was no criminal prosecution. Mr. Fraser said no one could justify what the officer had done in making arrangements with a firm to receive a certain amount on orders and in saying to the firm, according to the evidence, that if the amount was not forthcoming they would not get the orders. The Crown Law Office went into the matter and it considered that a civil case could not be taken. The matter was discussed • with the Air Force, both in New Zealand and in Britain.

Mr. Holland: There is a great deal of feeling in Christchurch that a criminal prosecution was not taken so that the Court could have decided and not the Crown Law Office. Mr. Fraser said that the officer had suffered very severely in being cashiered from the service in which he had done so wel land he had also suffered ?. mon.etary loss. Mr. Fraser said he thought the right course was taken.