DISLOYAL STATEMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1782, 29 January 1918, Page 3

DISLOYAL STATEMENT.

At the Palmerston Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Kendrick, S.M., David AtcKenzio was charged with making a disloy’al statement in a train on October 31st, 1917.

Joseph De Rosa, railway guard, stated that, on the day in question, when the train was between Ashhurst and Woodville, he had occasion to remonstrate with accused for breaking a window. Accused refused to pay for the damage, and became very abusive. He said: “To hell with the King and country. I would not fight. I have no time for men wearing red hands on their arms. They are damn fools. The Germans are bad enough, but the English are a sight worse. If Kaiser Bill and the Germans caihe hero to-morrow I would turn and fight for them and would be far better off living under them.” Accused was under the influence of drink, and had apparently had some difference with the Defence Department. John Kelsall, traveller, corroborated the above evidence.

The Magistrate said that he had a letter from accused, in which the latter said he had enlisted himself and had tAvo sons at the front, hut could not appear, as he had not the money to pay his fare. Continuing, the Magistrate said that according to the letter, accused did not look like a disloyal man, and his trouble Avith the Defence Department had probably caused him to make the disloyal statements. After considering- the evidence, His Worship inflicted a fine of £2, Avith costs 11s and Avitness’s expenses £l.