CASE OF DR. YEATES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 69, 14 December 1917, Page 8

CASE OF DR. YEATES

. FINED FOR WEARING- NEW ZEALAND UNIFORM. A cablegram from the High Commis- 7 sioner slates that Dr. Yeates, who wax a medical officer with the New Zealand Force at Samoa, has been convicted in. England on a charge of illegally wearing a military uniform, and fined £21 P with £10 10s. costs, in default thirtysix days' imprisonment. The case of Dr. Yeates was much' before the public nearly three years ago. Eg went to Samoa with the Force of occupation, and some timn afterwards came back to New Zealand. He wore a uniform in Wellington fqr some months, during which time tlierw seemed to be some doubt as to what his position really was. References wero made to his case in Parliament,, notably by Dr. Thacker, but in the end. he was gazetted out of the New Zealand Forces, and he left Wellington, and New Zealand soon afterwards. Months later he appeared in Egypt wearing the uniform of the New Zealand Medical Corps, and it is believed that the War Office and the British Army authorities took notice of his conduct in weaving a uniform of a forco to which he did not belong. It is possible that the offence has been repeated, and that these proceedings are the result. 'It is understood that Dr. Yeates does not admit that his discharge from the New Zealand Expedi J tionary Force was regular.