ARMY DEFAULTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24776, 28 November 1941, Page 4

ARMY DEFAULTERS

REFUSAL TO OBEY COMMANDS SENT TO DETENTION CAMP (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, NOV. 27. "You are humbugging the court, Get to a detention camp quickly," said the magistrate, .Mr A. A. McLachlan, to-day as he waved away from the Bench John Burns Crichton, a solicitor. Crichton 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, and all the accused were sent to the defaulters' camp for the duration of the war.

Before the hearing of the charges, Crichton applied for an adjournment to settle his private affairs. He said that on July 17 he was fined £SO and sent to gaol for three months. On completion of the term he was taken into military custody and remanded for court martial, and after being under close arrest .for 44 days he was remanded to the 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 my hands."

\ Crichton sought permission to approach the magistrate to show him some papers, when the magistrate remarked: " You are humbugging the court." Addressing Marsh, the magistrate said:

" it is a pity to see a fine stamp of man like you going ttf the defaulters' camp."