TERRITORIALS AGAIN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3802, 12 April 1913, Page 8

TERRITORIALS AGAIN.

FURTHER BATCH. BEFORE THE COURT. SOME HEAVY FINES IMPOSED. DEFAULTERS SHOULD TAKE WARNING. / A number oT Territorials were brought before Mr. W .A. Burton, S.M., yesterday, on charges of having failed to attend the mounted camp held at Makanaka on March 31, without providing reasonable excuse or their non-attendance. Hugh Charles Brown. (Mr. T. A. Coleman) pleaded guilty to a charge of having failed to attend the annual training camp. Senior-Sergeant Hutton said that defendant was fully notified of the cam]i, Imt did not attend, although tie failed to apply for leave. Defendant's general conduct was good. Mr. Coleman said his client lived at

Wharekopae and, being exmopt from ordinary drills, thought the same applied to the annual cam)). Defendant gave evidence in support of counsel's statement, holding that he had not received notice of the camp until after the cam]) had started. He was fond of Territorial work and would have liked to have attended the camp. Ho was willing to put in the necessary training at the Oi'ingi casual camp. His Worship said that lie believed defendant was under a reasonable misapprehension, and .convicted and discharged him'.

Cyril Motor Clayton (Mr. Burke) did not appear and counsel read a letter from him, in which he said he believed it was sufficient to attend one camp a year. A camp, counsel understood. was yet to be held. Defendant bad been married during the past few days. Senior-ißcrgeant Hutton said defendant had applied for leave and was informed that it could not be granted. His general conduct was fair. His Worship imposed a fine of .£2 and costs (7s), a default of 7 days in military custody being fixed should defendant not )’>ay Ills fine within 48 hours.

Arthur Elliott "Wilson pleaded guilty and Senior-Sergeant Hutton said that defendant had previously been prosecuted for failing t-o attend parade. Ho had only attended two parades. Defendant said, be had thought- the attendance at a casual camp would suffice.

Defendant was fined £3 and costs (7s). or 10 days’ detention.

Julius Claude McGregor pleaded not guilty, stating that he had received absolutely no notice of the camp. He was unaware that a camp was held until a week after it was established. He was then at Motu.

To Senior-Sergent Hutton: He had received no squadron orders this year and had not seen camp notices at any ot the country Post Offices, although ho would not deny that they were posted there.

Sergeant Bright .said he had posted a souadi'on order regarding the camp to defendant on Fcbruarv 20.

His Worship convicted and discharged defendant, a nil advised him to pa v attention to military notices in post offices in future.

Allen Colin Campbell did Hot appear in answer to the charge, and Captain Hamilton gave evidence regarding defendant’s non-attendance. He read a letter from defendant, dated March Ist. to which he telegraphed in reply that it was absolutely necessary for defendant to attend the camp. t\ it.noss read a further letter in which defendant stated that he could not possibly attend the camp, and was quite willing attend a casual camp later on. Defendant's general conduct had been good, hut his attendance was bad.

His Worship imposed a fine of £3 and costs (7s), or 10 days in military custody.

A FINE OF FIVE POUNDS.

Samuel George Doleman (Mr. Bright) pleaded guilty. Counsel stated that defendant was in Opotiki at the time, and was now willing to attend a casual camp. Senior-Sergeant Hutton said that this was the fourth, time defendant had been arrainged before, the Court. He had attended no parades this year. His Worship said defendant seemed to set the law at defiance and imposed a fine of £3 and costs (7s), or 13 days detention.

John Henry Patou pleaded guilty and Sour. Horgt. Hutton said that iii view of certain circumstances, the authorities only wanted a conviction recorded. Defendant, who was a dairyman. had arranged for a substotuto to take his place and the man had not turned up. His Worship convicted and discharged defendant.

John O’Connell pleaded guilty giving as his excuse that his father was ill and lie had to stay at homo as a threshing mill was being used on the farm. Ho asked for leave and was refused.

Beur. Sergt. Hutton said defendant had only attended four parades out of 12. ..

His Worship fined defendant £3 and costs (7s), or ten days’ detention.

George William Clarke (Mr Barnard) pleaded n<t guilty. Captain Hamilton said defendant ' Had attended 8 out of twelve parades | and was absent from the training | camp. On March 11 or 12. defendant j produced a certificate from”Dr Scott and witness advised- him that ho must he examined by Surgeon-Captain (Dr) ' Wililanis. An appointment was made and defendant attended but the examination was not held. The next night, a time was fixed, but defendant failed, to attend. It was'necessary for defendant to comply with the regulations and have one of the necessary certificates filled in., On July 15, 1911, defendant was examined by the Surgeon-Captain and pronounced fit. To Mr Bunihrd : His object in sending the man to Surgeon-Captain Williams was to see whether defendant should be pronounced totally unfit for training and altogether exempted. Sergt-Major Henry said defendant was absent frorii camp and he under-

sbood defendant was slaughtering at the freezing works. Mr Burnard said that after the certificate from Dr Williams, defendant met with a serious accident and had suffered considerably as the result of a broken foot. He did not object to training, but tlie strain at a camp would have been too much for him. He held that Captain Hamilton should have accepted Dr Scott’s certificate, and that lie had advised defendant to go to Dr Williams so that he might, if necessary, be totally exempted. Captain Hamilton, recalled, said he had no authority to grant leave on t/ie certificate supplied by Dr Scott, although it might p-ersonnilu yntisfy him

Mr Barnard said the reason the defendant did pot turn up to see Dr Williams on the second occasion was that he was taken ill and was ill until after the camp started. Defendant said that in October, 1911, his horse fell on him and broke bis foot, which still gave him much trouble and caused him great- pain. Hg supported counsel’s statement as to having taken ill. Hubert Clarke, defendant’s father, gave further corroborative evidence. His Worship did not think it was a case for a conviction -and lie would dismiss the information. A REASONABLE EXCUSE. Robert Barron (Mr Bright) failed 'co appear and counsel put in a plea of not guilty. Captain Hamilton said the defendant had not attended camp and he was not granted leave, nor had he applied for ieavo or offered a reasonable ex-

To Mr Bright: Ho was aware the defendant lived some 30 miles from Te Karaka and that a number from tliis outlying district were not posted owing to the long distance from town. He Out not know that defendant had wvritten to Lieut. Roynter, or had seen Major Evans regarding exemption from training. Lieut. Bisnop gave further evidence and Benr. Sergt. Hutton said that defendant had attended two parades out of 12.

Mr Bright said that defendant was not an objector to military training, but when lie found it took three days and considerable expense to attend drill he applied to Lieut. Poynter for exemption and the application was passed on to Major Evans, who told defendant's father that Barron should never have been posted. He further told defendant not to procure a uniform..

William Barron, defendant's father, said he called on Major Evans, who said defendant should never have been enrolled, and that it was unnecessary for him to procure a uniform. Major Evans said he would have defendant c ao rnp ted.

His Worship said lie considered defendant had a reasonable excuse and he would dismiss tile information.