AN ABSOLUTE WASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1915, Page 4

AN ABSOLUTE WASTER.

TKADINti OS TUB ' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Au.kiaud, Last Night. A mail v,iio had a.bused the of a toldier ottme (before ■Mr. l-'razer, S.M., yesterday, 011 charges of drunkenness. misrepresentation and attempting •' credit l'.v misrepresentation. The amui, John Fleming, aged 3-1 years, was described liy Sub-Inspector Alcilveney as a-u absolute "waster." He had, the nuh-inspector said, enlisted in Hie expeditionary force, "out had 'been afterwards discharged. He, however, retained his uniform, and he went round the city drinking. On July £9, he went to A. -\f. Daniels and Co., tailors, and represented that he ma a non-commis-sioned ollicer, and obtained the insignia of a, sergeant-major (a crown and four stripes), which he had sown on his uniform. Illie Defence Department sitbsequcntly learned of this, and on Friday the authorities had him arrested anil stripped liiun otf the uniform, giving him civilian clothing, but did not punish Mm for his offence, hecnuse of the story he told about his dependents being in illhealth, After tihat, Fleming went to Daniels and Co., and .ordered a complete unifoiim, hearing the insignia of ser-geant-major, the cost to be £l3. His demeanor, however, made the tailors suspicious, and they learned that Fleming was an imposter. -lle had also managed to cibtajn £0 from the Patriotic Fund. The general report of him was that be was a waster, who made himself a nuisance about the town liy his drinking habits.

Tleming offered no defence, and his Worship remarked that anything that tended to bring disgrace on the uniform was looked on just now with utmost disfavor. [lc would be prohibited, and sentenced to five weeks' hard labor.