DESERTERS FROM U.S. ARMY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22935, 4 July 1944, Page 4

DESERTERS FROM U.S. ARMY

Stowed Away On Aircraft Couple Charged With Harbouring (N.Z.P.A.) AUCKLAND. July 3. Two charges each of harbouring members of the United States Forces on various dates, knowing them to have been absent without leave, were preferred against a married couple, George Rutherford Shortland and Pearl Elizabeth Shortland, when they appeared before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M. Both defendants pleaded not guilty. The prosecution is brought under the Harbouring of Deserters Emergency Regulations, 1942.

A private in the United States Army, Ralph Francis De Bucce, gave evidence ‘hat on April 24 he and another soldier, named Clarke, stowed away on an aircraft at New Caledonia and came to Auckland, absent without leave from their unit. Upon their arrival in Auckland witness was taken by Clarke to (he Shortland Cafe, operated by the defendants, and was introduced to Mrs Shortland, whom they knew as “Mum.” Clarke told Mrs Shortland that they had come from New Caledonia, said witness, and suggested that they should stay at the cafe. She agreed and said that both men had a home there for as long as they should want. The following day. said witness, he met another American absentee, named Moore. Witness took Moore to the cafe. Places were prepared for all the three men to sleep on the premises, and they stayed there for several consecutive nights. Nothing was paid for lodging. On one occasion witness saw Mrs Shortland hand Clarke a £5 note. Witness said he stayed at the cafe for four or five days with Moore, and during that time they did some concrete work for Shortland. On their last daj’ there Mrs Shortland got them each a second-hand suit of civil clothes No charge was made to either man. Military Police Watching Witness later parted company with Moore, and wffien next he returned to the cafe he -was told that Moore and Clarke had gone to work on a chicken farm at. Henderson. Some weeks afterward he met Shortland in the street and was told that the military police were watching the- cafe. Witness went to the cafe to get his uniform back, but Mrs Shortland ordered him off the premises, saying she did not want to be charged for having a deserter there. On June 15 he gave himself up. Under cross-examination witness admitted that he had stayed some nights elsewhere in Auckland with a girl friend, whom he wished to marry. He denied knowing that his suit of civilian clothes had been claimed by the girl's cousin as having been stolen from him. He also denied telling Mrs Shortland that he had come from New Caledonia as an advance guard Witness admitted borrowing £5 from Mrs Shortland on the pretext that he and his friend were going into the country for a few days. Arnold Moore, a private in the United States Army, said he had absented himself from his unit, which was stationed in Auckland at the time, on February 9. In April he met the previous witness and was taken to the Shortland Cafe. He confirmed staying there without paying lodging, but said that he understood the concrete ■work undertaken was by way of paying for their board. On a number of occasions Mrs Shortland gave him money, totalling in all about £3 10/-. The civilian clothes procured for him were too small, so he accompanied Shortland to a second-hand shop, where they were exchanged. Shortland had been the one who suggested getting civilian clothes, stating that it was necessary if they did not want to get “picked up.” On one occasion, said witness, Shortland had said something about getting him a Social Security book in his son's name but, when subsequently asked about it. he replied that they were only issued to men on attaining the age of 18 and that it would make his son liable for military service. Cross-examined, witness said that Mrs Shortland had suggested that he should give himself up to a senior officer. It was some days after this that he did so. He denied ever having received £5 from her, as alleged by the previous witness. The hearing was adjourned until Monday.