MAGISTRATE AS FRIEND.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 5 December 1916, Page 6

MAGISTRATE AS FRIEND.

WOUNDED MAN NOT A “DESERTER.” MILITARY NONPLUSSED. Mr Clarke Hall, the Old-street (England) magistrate, took a strong line in the case of a wounded soldier who was charged with desertion, and flatly refused to hand him over to the military authorities. Henry Brooks, a private in the Manchester Regiment, was charged with being a deserter from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers since September of last year. But his defence was that he was so unfairly treated in the Welsh Fusiliers that he left, and at once joined the Manchester regiment, with which he fought in France and was wounded in the leg. Mr Hall suggested that the military authorities might be disposed to withdraw the charge of desertion. But that course was not adopted and a corporal appeared at the police court to take Brooks back to the London depot of the Manchester regiment. Thereupon Mr Clarke Hall said he was not inclined to assist in keeping the man in custody. His whole conduct since the outbreak of war had consisted in serving his country. “A man,” M$ Clarke Hall added, ‘'‘cannot be called a deserter who has been wounded while fighting for his country, and who has been in the army all the time. I shall adjourn the case sine die. I cannot convict the man of V 0 being a deserter in such circumstances.” Assisted by a friend, Brooks left the court. Later the magistrate received a message from the military authorities, asking what his decision was. The reply was given, and it was understood that an officer would attend the court and interview the magistrate