SOLDIER'S SUBTERFUGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13973, 20 April 1916, Page 7

SOLDIER'S SUBTERFUGE.

„ ENLISTS IN FALSE NA3US. (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. An unusual caso, came bofore Mr Cutten, S.M., yesterday, when a young man named. Edward McLelland (19) was charged that on the previous day he made a. false statement m attesting under the Defence Act. MeLelland admitted the charge, and sub-Inspector Mcllveney stated that on Tuesday MeLelland, with a view to enlisting, went to Captain Hoacking, and m making the usual attestation stated that his name was John Wilson, and that he had never been imprisoned for any offence. Later it came i .to Oaptain Hoacking's knowledge that Wilson w.as not accused's name, and that he had been m prison m December, sentenced to 21 days' hard labor for assault, and m February convicted and put oh two years' probation .^for breaking and entering. His Worship : I suppose the military authorities have no objection beyond the fact that he gave a false name" 1 ; The sub-Inspector stated that the great objection f rom a military point of view, waa the trouble caused subsequently m keeping trace of men. Here was a man named MeLelland, with parents at Pa/mell, who enlisted as John Wilson with no next-of-kin. If Anything happened to him the military .authorities had no means whatever of ''tracing 'his friends,- and would probably <ret the .whole blame and trouble arisnic. out of tho false name given m enlisting.

His Worship stated that ono could not help having a certain amount oi sympathy with a nian who committed certain offences m order to enlist. McLel land's real offence seemed to be that he had mado «i false statement, not so much to enlist, as to get out of his liabilities. In that, case punishment must be imposed, and accused would be fined £2. Accused would have to make somo arrangement to pay his fine, and if he really wanted to get to tho front should go '"and enlist openly m his own name.