A NEW ZEALAND TRAITOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1600, 19 August 1916, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND TRAITOR.

Wellington, August 17

Mr Massey states that information has been received that one of our men lias deserted to the enemy. The man’s name was such as not, to give any indication of Gorman origin, and no suspicion was aroused by him prior to the date on which he deserted. Until detailed official information of the truth of the present report has been received, the man’s name will not he disclosed. This is being done in order to prevent possible injustice to his parents, who are residents in New Zealand, should the report on investigation prove to be unfounded.

Mr \V. Thomson, speaking at Lady Stout’s mooting' at the Empire Hall, Palmerston, on Tuesday night, said that a Scotchman who had throe sons at the Avar, one of Avhom had heen killed at Gallipoli, and one of whom had been severely wounded, had told him that his hoys had written to him stating that soldiers with the Main Body had deserted and gone OA T er to the Turkish trenches, and had called back, “You’re not at Trentham now!” A contemporary commenting on the above, says: The statement was so obviously the grossest of exaggerations that we had decided to take no notice of it. But a deputation of two returned Main Body men called upon us and asked to make a contradiction of it through our columns. “The man Avho used the statement and the man who repeated it in print,” said one of the Anzacs, “did not think of the many mothers who have lost sons at Gallipoli.” “And,” added the other —a man avlio was on Gallipoli from start to finish —“the storyteller is a fool as well as a liar; tor avc of the Main Body Avere never in Trentham Camp! So Jioav could avc be taunted about Trentham 1 ” Truly, the liar needs td have a good memory.