WEDDING PREVENTED

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1946, Page 5

WEDDING PREVENTED

MAN ARRESTED Charged as Military Deserter P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 12. On a day fixed for his wedding, William Andrew Moriarty, alias Mitchell, surrendered, to Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal, Major G. Henderson, to face a' charge of deserting from the 2nd’ N.Z.E.F. at Burnham, before a District Court Martial at Burnham this morning. As Private William Andrew Mitchell, lhe name under which he enlisted, Moriarty pleaded guilty to deserting in that he absented himslf, without leave from the 10th Reinforcements on July 3, 1943, until he surrendered on July 31, 1946, in civilian clothes. The sentence -of the court will ba promulgated later. Major Anderson, in evidence, said that, on July 30, the Provost Corps received' information that Moriarty was to be married the following day at St. Matthew’s Church, Colombo Street, North. He (Major Anderson) went to the Vicarage and saw the Rev. W. E. D. Davies, and said that he would make an arrest after the wedding and not on the church property. During this conversation, said Major Anderson Moriarty telephoned Mr. Davies, saying that he could not go ahead' with the wedding, as “something dreadful had happened, and he was very upset.” Witness spoke to Moriarty, on the telephone, continued Major Anderson, and persuaded him to surrender himself, as the Court Martial would take that into account. Later the same day, Moriarty surrendered', saving the Provost Corps much trouble. In a statement read to the court, Moriarty said that he went absent withou heave when he discovered that his draft was to go to the European theatre of war. He was of the opinion that the Japanese were the real menace to this country. Had he thought that the draft was going to the Japanese front, he would have gone willingly. “I considered that I would be more use in defending this country against invasion than lighting an enemy in Europe)” continued' Moriarty. “At the conclusion of the European war, I intended to return to Burnham, with the object of going overseas against the Japanese. But the Government delayed so long in making a statement as to their intentions of what was the part to be played by the Division in Pacific that I remained where I was. By this time, there was a rumour of the Japanese caving in, so I waited to see the result,” he concluded.