DEFENCE PROSECUTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15060, 1 August 1912, Page 5

DEFENCE PROSECUTIONS.

FAILURE TO ATTEND CAMP, Failure to render personal service under tho Defence Act, in that they neglected to present themselves at the recent camps, formed tho subject of charges against some thirty youths before Mr. E. C. Cutten, , S.M., at tho Police Court yesterday. | Numerous excuses, reasonable and other- ; wise, were advanced by tho delinquents, perhaps tho most common ploas being that they had been away from Auckland, or had not roceived any notice, concerning the camps from the Defence authorities. Such excuses were not considered by the magistrate, it being pointed out by the Defence officer who conducted tho prosecutions, that notices had been posted on all post offices advising youths who caino under the Act that they were, liable to attend camp. If they had left Auckland they should have obtained a transfer to tho district where they then resided. One youth commenced to enlarge upon his objections to bearing firearms, but his explanations were promptly cut short by tho magistrate. A number who persisted in refusing to comply with the Act-, A. Madigan, C. Langlev, J. McVeigh, C. H. Gavin, J. W. Hamilton, G. Morris, W. F. Blanchard, W. Barnard, and R. Clark, were each fined £2, with 7s costs. In the cases of S. H. Capner, F. P. Walshe, H. J. Maloney, W. J.. Carter, M. Casey, N. Wright, P. .J. Norris, S. N. Webb, H. E. O'Meara, G. Sanders, P.. Wiles, and J. A. Wilson, the circumstances were such that the fines were reduced to 20s, with 7s costs. Reasonable excuses also resulted in F. Collins, K. Kyle, and A. G. Johnston, being each fined only 10s, with costs 7s, while W. E. Sanders, R. 11. Clough, and L. C. McKeown were merely ordered to pay 7s costs. The cases against several other defendants were adjourned for a week, to enable the medical officer to report on their physical fitness.