DEFENCE DEPARTMENT SCANDAL.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170295, 13 August 1920, Page 8

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT SCANDAL.

THE HOTOP CASE.

COMPENSATION ASKED FOR VICTIM.

i roni our Parliamentary Correspondent

•WELLINGTON, August 12. An affair that has- previously attracted some attention was mentioned in tlie House of Representatives yesterday. Mr H. H. Thompson, of AVellington, lwd petitioned Parliament for compensation for alleged wrongful imprisonment by the military authorities, and tlie M to- Z Petitions Committee recommended the request for the favourable consideration, of the Government.

Mr Dickson (Chalmers), chairman of th 0 Committee, stated that Mr Thompson entered camp in 1916 as a volunteer, was assigned to home service, and while in Feathers-ton ©imp ho accused Captain F. Hotop, medical officer, of having been drunk while on duty. He was coairt-martialled on a charge of knowingly making a false statement ■'■ gainst ait officer, was convicted, and sentenced, to n. term of imprisonment. Later events had proved that Captain Hotop was an habitual drunkard. The Committee, after careful examination oc the facts, had decided that Thompson had been unjustly imprisoned, and that he was entitled to have his conviction expunged from the military records and to receive some compensation from the Government. Many members of the House stroke in support of the recommendation of the Committee. They stated that Thompson was a. man of good character, that the officer's addiction to drink had been notorious, and that the trial had_ notbeen a. fair .'one. Thompson had been prevented from obtaining witnesses, and had practically been sacrificed to protect the reputation of the officer. Mr Dickson, in replying, agreed with other members that Captain Hot-op had not been the chief offender. The fa.ult lay with tlie militarv court-martial, whir-.li had not given Thompson a fair trial, and with the Defence- Department, which shmild not have kept Captain' Hotop in liis position-