MILITARY DEFAULTERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24134, 28 November 1941, Page 8

MILITARY DEFAULTERS

five sent to detention SOLICITOR INCLUDED [by TELEGRAPH —PIIKSS association] CHRIST CHURCH, Thursday "You are humbugging the Court. Get to a detention camp quickly," said Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., to-day, a§ he 'waved away i'rom the Bench John Burns Crichton, sulicitor. Crichton had pleaded not guilty to refusing to obey a lawful command to submit to medical examination. Similar charges were preferred against Kenneth Edgar Adams, Raymond Leslie Adams and Thomas Allen Adams, while Clifford Marsh was charged with refusing to draw clothing. All the offences took place at Burnham Camp. All the accused were sent to a defaulters' camp for the duration of the war. , , Before the hearing of the charges Crichton applied tor an adjournment to settle his private affairs. He said that on July 7 he was fined £SO and was sent to gaol for three months. On completion of the term he was taken into military custody and remanded for nourt-martial. After being under close arrest for 44 days, he was remanded to a civil Court. "The men in Libya would like a few days to attend to their business," said the magistrate. "There is no provision for bail on this charge, and the question of leave from the detention camp is not in niv hands." Crichton " sought permission to approach the magistrate to show him some papers when the magistrate remarked: "You are humbugging the Court." I Addressing Marsh, the magistrate I said: "It. is a pity to see a fine stamp of man like you going to a defaulters camp."