CHANGE AGAINST CORPORAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14713, 19 September 1918, Page 3

CHANGE AGAINST CORPORAL.

ALLEGED FALSE ACCUSATION AGAINST SUPRK-MH OFFICER.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON tin's day. A district court-martial sat to try Corporal William Arthur Doridant, of the New Zealand Military Police, on a charge of making a- false accusation against a, superior officer, knowing such iuiciLsation to be false. It was alleged that accused told four members of the furews, including an officer, tluit on tho night of tho Ist August, 1918, Captain Chailes Gray, assistant provost marshal, of Wellington district, had been drunk while m the execution of nis duty. Evidence was given to the effect that on the night of the- Ist August Captain Gray called on Corporal Doridant to take him m a patrol launch, and patrol round a vessel m the- harbor. Corporal Doridaut remarked, when he spoke to Captain Gray on the telephone, that "he cvnild. nearly smell it over the wires." and later, when he returned from patrol work, he said he was right, that Captain Gray was "full," and had to be helped out of the launch. Evidence was given by several persons regarding the sobriety of Captain Gray on the night -in question. Captain John Cecil Hill, assistant provost marphal at Headquarters, Wellington, said that on the Ist Auugst he instructed Capta. : n Gray to give Doridant 28 days' notice. Subsequently Doridant met witness, and stated that he wished to make a complaint. Witness told Doii daait to make it through his immediate superior officer, Captain Gray. Doridant .said he wished to go to a higher authority, and he said he had various charges to make, one of which was against Captain Gray, of drunkenness. Captain Hill stated that Captain Gray was an excellent officer of t'he highest character, m whose conduct witness had never discovered the least irregularity. Captain Gray was examined at considerable length. He stated that he had no alcoholic liquor during the day of August Ist. He took the launch, on patrol duty, and when getting off the la.unch slipped and was steadied by Doridant. He took the corporal to the gu.-u-droom and had some conversation with him as regards 'his hours of duty on the previous day. When he got home he found he had lost a minutes;hfi&t given him by Captain Hill. The sheet was left on the table without an envelope. He rang up the guardroom, and had the paper sent to him. The nvnute referred ta.tlie delay m getting n crew on the night of August Ist. Witness was instructed by Captain Hill to" dismiss Doridant, and sent the cor}>^"al a letter accordingly/ on August 2nd. Witness sdnt for Doridant. on A'.iugst 15, and asked if he had any clinrqeto ma'<o. The cornoral replied. "None whatever.-" The hearing wa. c continued to-day.