Defaulter Sent To Detention Camp

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1943, Page 4

Defaulter Sent To Detention Camp

Conviction, supplemented by an order that he should be detained in a defaulter's detention camp, was the penalty imposed by the magistrate (Mr. Raymond Ferner) in the Whangarei Court today against Raymond Edwin Augustus Webster, a married man, with one child, living at Wharehine. near Welisford. who pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to report at the Army Office. Whangarei. on July 23. Senior-Sergeant A. Henderson said that Webster had been called up for service in January of last year and had appealed on the ground of public interest. This was dismissed conditionally on his being given time and he had appealed on conscientious objection grounds. In November this appeal also had been dismissed and when Webster had failed to report for service in July his name had been gazetted. Again he had failed to report and he had been interviewed by the police. Webster had then admitted receiving the notice to report and said he had notified the army authorities that lie did not intend to do so. He aiso had admitted refusing to take the oath and stated that, he was a Jehovah’s Witness. Asked if he had anything to say. Webster told the magistrate that lie had nothing further 1o add to his statement to the police.