A MILITARY APPEAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 25 September 1918, Page 5

A MILITARY APPEAL

ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE A BOARD. Press Association. CHRISiOxiuRCn, September 24. In tne ixaugiora magistrate s Court to-day, betoio air Bauey, S.M., Ernest r reeancii ward, wno appeared m Imam, was charged that he cud wilfully attempt to ueceive tiie Military service uoard in the exercise of us jurisdiction by stating tnai his father was not assisting on his farm, and that hi 3 father was keeping an hotef in Dunedin at the time accused was giving evidence before the board, accused. well knowing such statements to be false. A plea of guilty was entered. ' Counsel said that accused, who was twenty-three years old, up to the time of the offence- had been of unblemished character. ' Accused and his brother had a farm at Glenmark. The brother was called up with the 27tb Reinforcement, and left accused to look after hi s interests. In his anxiety to preserve his own and his brother’s interest in the property his judgment failed him in - the- commission of the offence with which "he stood charged. Accused had gone into camp, • and had gained his lance-corporal’s stripe, and the camp authorities gave him an excellent reord. He desired to express deep contrition for his offence, which he felt would be a blemish on his character for life.. . He had suffered punishment already by the wide publicity given to the case by the newspapers. ...Counsel asked the magistrate to treat' accused exactly as he would bo treated if before a judge and seeking probation, which he had no doubt would, under the circumstances, bo granted. The magistrate, after commenting on the seriousness of the offence, said the case was an,, exceptional one, in fact, the first yet dealt with. He was glad to see that the young man had done well whilst on military service, and he did not wish to send him to prison. He thought affine would meet, the case, hut he wished it known that any offenders coming before him on. a similar charge would he severely dealt with.. Accused was fined £lO and costs.