COURT-MARTIAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 32, 1 November 1917, Page 4

COURT-MARTIAL

TRIAL OF MAN WHO HID IN THE BUSH. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland. October 31. At a court-martial to-day Private Gilbert Walker, a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, was arraigned on two charges of failing to present himself for medical examination at Hamilton on February 3 and May i reepectively, and on a charge, of desertion, in that at Hamilton on May 4 he absented himself without leave from the Force until he was apprehended by civil police at Korakonui on October 8. The ovidenco nhowed that Walker was drawn in the third ballot, and notices had been sent by post and refused. He had been hiding in the bush for some months through the winter. When a party of four police approached in the bush accused threatened them with'a rifle, saying, "Stand back or I'll ehoot. After a short scuffle ho was disarmed and arrested. The rifle was found ft* be unloaded but accused stated that he _ ammunition in a hiding-place in the " bush, in which direction he was proceeding when interrupted by the officers. Hβ was in poor condition as a result of privations in tho bueh. For the defence, Mr. Napier_ contended that the prosecution must fail, because tho charges, whioh were laid under Section 9 of the Army Act, were not set out in accordance with that t-ection;and, further, that the command to attend for medical examination was net a personal one, as required by the section. Mr. Denniston, in reply, urged the Court to adjudicate not on tho exact wording, but on the intention of the Act. Decision was reserved.