WITHOUT LEAVE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8357, 18 February 1913, Page 11

WITHOUT LEAVE

ROTO BOA INMATE AT LARGE. “A SLACKNESS SOMEAVHERE.” Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 17. J. P. Miller, late senior detective at Christchurch, in September last was arrested here and committed to Roto Roa Island for twelve months as an habitual drunkard. Miller is now at liberty at Auckland, having only been kept at tho island about four months. ,;rts h© was committed without proper examination, and that his application fon an adjournment when the case was in court to enable him to secure counsel was refused. Members of Parliament interested themselves in his case, and the Minister of Justice has replied: “Can do :othing until Miller returns to the island.” iJio Court officials decline to discuss tho case, but it is understood the responsibility for Miller being at liberty rests with the Salvation Army officials. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. The following statement on the subject of Miller’s release was made by tho Minister of Justice (Hon. A. L. Herdman) yesterday: “Tho statements mad© by Miller as to his practical abstention from alcohol for some years are not borne out by his departmental record. “As to the question of his committal to Roto Roa, the matter is, of course, one that is entirely _ within the jurisdiction of the magistrate, but from inquiries made when the question of the legality of the committal was first raised by Miller himself in a letter written to me from Roto Roa, I am certain that tho magistrate satisfied himself, on tho evidence of doctons and others, that the case was one in which the’ evidence disclosed the necessity for acceding io the application of a relative, in terms of the Reformatory Institutions Act, for his committal to the Roto Roa Home.. “INUNDATED WITH APPLICATIONS.” “It is true that --repeated applies-, tion from Miller and his friends have been made for his release from -the homo, but the same may be said of a number of the inmates of Roto Roa, or of any other similar institution. X am inundated with the applications of inebriates for release. Miller’s case has been given ©very consideration. I have called for special reports from a stipendiary magistrate in his capacity as an inspector of reformatory institutions, and from the manager of the home. Both reports have now come to hand, and the advice and information contained in them would have been acted upon at once, but for tho fact that I learned that Miller was at large in Auckland without leave. As no intimation of this had reached tho department from any official source, I wished to know the full facts of the case before finally dealing with the matter, and when that information comes to hand I shall bo prepared to take final action. POSITION UNSATISFACTORY. “The manager of the institution at Roto Roa Island states that Miller is at liberty in Auckland upon the authority of a magistrate’s order. The magistrate, on tho other hand, states that no authority has been given by him permitting Miller to be at large in Auckland. The whole position is unsatisfactory, and shows that there is a slackness somewhere, and I must get to the root of tho matter, and Miller must return to Roto Roa before I say what I shall do in the direction of sanctioning his release. “I have read the notes of evidence which the magistrate took when Miller was committed. The evidence given by Drs. Lindsay and Sharman and Mrs Miller of the man’s habits is most convincing.”