CALLED A MAN A “SHIRKER.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1670, 3 February 1917, Page 3

CALLED A MAN A “SHIRKER.”

CHARGE AGAINST A SOLDIER. NOMINAL FINK IMPOSED. Wanganui, Wednesday. A case of general interest was heard in the Magistrate’s Court today, when Percival Leonard Caldwell, a returned soldier, was charged with using insulting language to Thomas Roseoe by calling him a “shirker.” In the course of eross-exainina-lion, complainant denied that he was aware (he whole community was talking about him and his brothers. He also denied that his own sister had urged him to enlist, so that she could hold up her head and take her place with women who have soils and brothers fighting at Ihe front. He admitted he was prepared to go when forced. Counsel for defendant urged that returned soldiers should be allowed to act as recruiting agents. In this case defendant had told Roseoe to his face what the whole community was saying behind his back. The magistrate said he quite understood the feeling of men who had I been to the front ahd who had done (heir duly, and had left comrades there. At the same time the Civil laws had to ho obeyed, and lie had In consider whether language had been used that was likely to cause a breach of the peace. Being the first ease of the kind he would deal leniently and impose a line of 5s only.