Ringarooma Court-Martial.

Manawatu Herald, 4 May 1895, Page 2

Ringarooma Court-Martial.

At the Ringarooma cowtgn^dfr*, Surgeon Lea made a lengray fShment in defence, and said that in placing- Captain Johnson on jfche sick list he was actually conscious of a sense of duty, and acted in accordance with the customs of theßervice. If he had not done so it would toate been a grave dereliction of duty. Dr Lea went on to say that his attention , to the captain's manner %haffcfthe lajlpr was on the fore bridge, where' fie waa pacing np an.gjtyra majq#g|gritt» acer and gesticulating in* to toSuN manner. : He ( copside?e4f tyf aej&ein was unfit to command tKe^mp'T^He was of staifqt'ignjpeKanient, and seemed to suffer from morbid depression of spirited 1 : . ; r .O The surgeon gave instances of co* centricity on the part of the e*pt*iQ at various functions, and said he possessed a strange peculiaritjr/ifcr playing imaginary golf on the vessel's deck. His eyes would become a}* lated, and after making an imaginary stroke he would look as if observing its effect. When the ship went dn a reef a short time ago at New Hebri* des, the captain's behaviour wu eccentric, and he repeatedly swore at the men while they were working as hard as they possibly could. On another occasion he started fishing from a port hole. The doctor wished to call evidsnje as to the health of Captain Jofeaßon, but the Court refused to hear it.

Owing to this decision Dr Lea w<& unable to call some 80 witnesses he had arranged to have examined.

The Court found Lea guilty of the charges made against him, and or? dered him to be dismissed the serDr Lea's counsel intends wWrward the papers in the court-martial case to the Admiralty. ''■"'-'