THE ALLEGED DESERTER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2861, 28 August 1916, Page 4

THE ALLEGED DESERTER

1 The steps taken by the Defence Minister to secure official information concerning the alleged desertion to tbe enemy of a member' of the Now Zealand Expeditionary Force in France will, we trust, enable a speedy announcement on the subject to be made. Tho informaton' on whicli tho Prime Minister's original statement was based appears to have come the High Commissioner, and Mr. Allen has now cabled to the military authorities for particulars of the occurrence, which he hopes to make public within tho next clay or two. ' In the meantime the Minister docs not feel justified in mentioning the name of the man alleged to havo been guilty of tho act of treachery. While there is any doubt on the subject, Mr. Allen is quite right in observing silence, but the sooner this unpleasant matter is cleared up the better. The name of tho alleged offender appears to bo pretty generally known in tho Wairarapa, and the fact that ho is now suspected to bo of Gorman descent gives colour

to a suspicion which may prove on investigation to be unjust. Information has reached us to the effect that a demonstration against the suspected man's family lias been contemplated. Such a course is to be deprecated. It would only lead to disorder, and possibly troublo with the police. If tho allegations are confirmed ' the authorities will no doubt deem it necessary to take action, but in the meantime tho reply to Mr. Allen's cablegram has yet to come.