AN UNUSUAL CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1918, Page 7

AN UNUSUAL CASE.

MILITARY; DOCTOR AND-COTJRT OEINQUIKY.

By Telegraph.—Press Association

Auckland, Dec. 21, At the Supreme Court to-dayi Major W, E. Sharman, formerly medical officer at Narrow Neck Camp, and now Assist-ant-Director of Medical Services at Dunedin, applied for a writ of prohibition under the Judicature Act restraining Colonel Ward (president) and Majors Plugge and Lindsay, comprising the court of inquiry appointed to report upon the administration of Narrow Neck camp durin the epidemic from proceeding with the inquiry. Plaintiff also claimed costs. Plaintiff alleged that order to attend was not served upon him until after the date appointed. He attended at the court and asked for a week to prepare his defence. The court refused to allow him longer than 2 p.m. on the following day, when he attended with counsel and produced another doctor's certificate that he was in ill-health and not fit to conduct his own defence. He therefore asked the court to allow him to be represented hy counsel or friend.

The president of the court conferred with the officer commanding the district and handed a written order from the latter requiring him to be medically examined at 4 p.m. that day. He submitted under protest, Nex-t day the court read a statement from the Judge-Advocate-General, and announced that it would proceed whether Dr. Sharman was present or not, and would not allow counsel or friend, and that if he were present it would accept no responsibility for his health. In the Supreme Court it was agreed that the inquiry be held over till after the holidays, except that the Island soldiers returning to their homes; may .be examined. Argument Tras adjourned.