TALKED IN TRAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 118, 21 May 1943, Page 3

TALKED IN TRAIN

WOMAN FINED FIFTY POUNDS CONVERSATION WITH SOLDIER (P.A.) Auckland, May 30. Following a conversation with a soldier on the Limited Express between Wellington and Auckland on February 18, Doro.hy Mildred Bond, appeared before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., on one charge of making a subversive statement contrary to the Public Safety Emergency Regulations, 1940, two charges under the Censorship and Publicity Emergency Regulations, 1939, and a charge under the United States Forces Emergency Regulations, 1943. Mr. Meredith appeared for the Crown and all the charges were denied. • A New Zealand soldier, a former newspaper man in tne South Island, said he became acquainted with defendant on the Limited express. “We were talking about Ihe forces in the Pacific and she told me a big attack was to be made by the American forces at dawn on a certain day in February on the Russell Islands." said witness. “She said her source of information had been a ‘Cap ain’ Anderson, whom she had met on an American ship a fortnight ago. The ‘Commodore’ had travelled on the ship. She said Anderson had told her all this. She said he was engaged in handling cipher work.” Witness said that when he arrived at his camp he reported the matter and was brought to Auckland, where he made a statement at Security Intelligence Headquarters. To counsel, witness said the woman said she did not suppose she should talk about such things. He had not warned her. He did not decided to report the matter until after he left the train. He might have told her her he was 48 hours absent without' leave, but he had an excuse for that. Counsel: I put it to you that this business about the attack came out. in strict confidence to put your mind at rest that it was unlikely that your group had gone overseas. Witness: I cannot remember expressing anxiety. “I am not calling any evidence but will raise legal defences,” said counsel. He did not want the magistrate to think, however, that his client did not appreciate the position into which she had got herself. Counsel submitted that one charge under the Censorship Regulations section clearly referred 1o a document or record. The magistrate said the charge under the regulations which referred to a document or record would be dismissed.

Defendant was convicted on two other charges. The final charge was also dismissed. On the charge under the Public Safety Regulations a fine of £5O was imposed. On the other convictions defendant was fined nominal amounts of one shilling.