WANGANUI COURT MARTIAL,

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1919, Page 4

WANGANUI COURT MARTIAL,

OPENED AND ADJOURNED.

|TEIt CllESfl ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.] WANGANUI. Jan. '_>!). The courtmartial of Lieut. \Y Crampton opened this morning. Crampton was represented at the morning’s hearing by Mr 1). R. Armstrong, acting for Mr Loughnan of Palmerston North. ->ir Holland M.P. applied) for permission to assist the prosecution on the grounds that he was the instigator of the proceedings. He contended that the first charge was made by him at Reef toil in -May last, and lie had on various occasions since then demanded a court martial. Mr Armstrong strongly opposed the application, contending that the instigator should he something more than a writer in newspaper correspondence a demand for a trial. The institutor of the proceedings was Crampton himself.

The prosecutor, Capt. F. Hudson, pointed out that the question was of conferring, not assisting in the prosecution. He failed to see how he could he assisted very much by Mr Holland, hut he had no real objection to the latter sitting with him.

The Judge Advocate, Captain Baldwin, expressed the opinion that before a civilian could sit with the prosecutor, he would have to bo able to give material assitanee. The Court ruled that Mr Holland was not entitled to sit.

Mr Armstrong applied for an adjournment saying CrampUm had received notice of the proceedings a week ago mid he decided to engage Mr l.ouglinan of Palmerston North hut the latter was absent and Crumpton only got into touch with him on Monday last. Since then there was no time to prepare, the ease. One of Crumpton's most important witnesses, Sergt. Smith was ill in the hospital at llawern and would not he available for about ten days. The. Court adjourned till February 121 >i at Wanganui.