UNDER MLITARY LAW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 958, 27 October 1910, Page 5

UNDER MLITARY LAW.

TRIAL iBY.COURT.MARTIAL.

An 4 excellent idea, carried out. in;, such .* "'■way 'as'/ to l! happily.:-; co-ordinate':';: the maximum of ; entertainment; .''with. ■'' the i'lriaximuiti/ of. ; instruction, ''/■'■ was that ...ivhich ./provided' ..in > the' ' syllabus: of ;■-■ instruction at the' training camp of the Petone'Navals at Fort Kclburhe, a, mock •trial:';i-l)y..'.court : martial..'ln :New Zealand, under/the new. Defence .Act,, staff •..and Permanent Force ; officers,';;and: ribn- . commissioned,'.officers will':be 'subject; to :.: military law..; always/but territorial: offi-' ... . cersy nori : cdm'missi<med '. officers/-; and: men only when in'fcaiMp,'.on/'paradej '■ "or going"to' : or.re- '". .hrrrdng.from, parade..! Persons subject to ■ military;laif'are:charg'e(l,';tried,'i "and pun- ;/: ished ; in accordance/with the /provisions of'. the'''"Army vAct,":/"Rules.',of Proce- •', dure/';' and "King's' Regulations.", Witl ; tie;' idea, .of 'affording', the. officers,: nori- : -commissioned, '.officers, 'and-men of!.. th'< ' Petdno'/Navals;' a "general 'idea '/of 'thi ; :procedure to• be followed .when military , law is'iinToked,'a/mock .trial was heh ' inthe : large, lecturehall 'at Fort.lM ■■ turne;; last evening,/when /one'.'of ■th : gunners}'was, "arraigned; ,'on -':imaginar ;"■ charges.'., of'having, refused.duty,' brokei -'■ arrest/and also with t "-'ng been' dri'-'

... -""at „, vU having been' drunk > . and disorderly,, and 'resisted the .■arrest- . ing.partyi .He /pleaded .not.' N guilty, and' iwas sat in judgment'upon by'a v courtjnartial consisting, of': the president (Cap- .; tain Miekle), members, 1 of'the Court (tieuienahts Robinson, and .Hollis).;' The ."of- ■: fieeis'in. waiting" iwere "the Judge'Advofcate (Captain G. S.,' Richardson), ;. the -'■": Prosecutor, .(llajor. 'Courtney); : the ■■ 'Friend". • (Major,. Menzies), and Lieut.,Andrews..' The gunner -plead-' . : ■ •J- ~not guilty." . Evidence. was .called by .. the; ■prosecution ! ,aud;..the /defence, the . .prisoner" made a statement,' the Judge ,-•' Advocate summed up, and - tho Court delivered its.finding, all these in accordance with I ' the: rules of .procedure laid : down. The. affair had its humorous side, . .ofi;course,..;and .the evidence of some'of the witnesses ..was, most'amusing. ■ ■' .