SHELTERING A RESERVIST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 54, 4 March 1918, Page 3

SHELTERING A RESERVIST.

Ernest James Oxenham was charged by the police in the Wellington -Magistrate's Court says the Dominion, before Mr S. E. :M'Car thy, S.M., with giving misleading information to the police regarding a reservist. ! Inspector Marsack staged that the police did not seek for a heavy, penalty, but that the case was brought in order to make it thoroughly known that it i was dangerous to give shelter to a de- 1 serting reservist or to give misleading -j information to the police. . | Mr P. J. O'Regan, who appeared for the defendant, pleaded guilty/ and stated that when Oxenham went out to his hut at Paremata on 2 Be found that a man named -Pottinger, a., personal friend, had climbed through, a window ,and had taken possession of his premises. Oxenham, no doubt, knew ; that the man had been drawn in the ballot, but did not appreciate the serious position in which he \vas placing himself when he told the constable who called subsequently that Pottinger was not in the hut. As a matter of fact, Oxenham believed that the police ; knew that Pottinger was in the hut, ■ but he was annoyed because the coil- •' stable refused to show him saying that he would deliver it-to Pottinger, whereas defendant thought that he should have produced it as an authority to make inquiries. The man ■ Pottinger was later found in f The Magistrate, after pointing out V that the offence was a. serious one, ' which might lead to a great deal of trouble, fined Oxenham £5. and. costs.