GUILTY OF LOOTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 8

GUILTY OF LOOTING.

AUSTRALIANS AT RABAUL. PRIVATES IMPRISONED. Melbourne, April 23. In the House of Representatives yesterday Mr- Anstey moved that it be an instruction to the Government to order the immediate release of five privates in the German New Guinea forco now undergoing sentences of three to five years' penal servitude imposed by court-martial at Babaul. He alleged that distinctions were drawn between officers and men. There had been cases of minor looting among the men, but shiploads of officers' loot had left Rabaul.

Mr. Jensen, Assistant-Minister for Defence, explained that the men sentenced were all guilty of robbery excepting one, guilty of receiving. One case was of robbery under arms fr,om a German Catholic missionary. On the advice of the Attorney-Gen-eral the sentences had been commuted to hard labour. At the end of six months the sentences would be reviewed, with a view to remission of part or the whole of the unexpired portion. Since they were sentenced the men had made allegations that others, including officers, had been concerned in looting. Their sworn statements had been placed before a Court sitting in Sydney, which would obtain evidence upon which the trial of several persons would take place shortly.

The motion was withdrawn on the Minister's assurance that everything was being done to clear up tho whole matter.