WEBB COURT-MARTIALLED.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1918, Page 5

WEBB COURT-MARTIALLED.

WEBBS IIAUAXGI. \i. A PITIABLE, ILLOGICAL STAXft By Telegraph';:—Press Association. ' ■ Wellington, March 15.

This morning, nt TreiitJiam Camp, ft district court martial was opened for • the purpose of trying Private P. C. "■' Weill) for refusing to obey the lawful command given personally by his superior officer. Webb appeared in court ; wit!: u bulky volume and bundle of paper.t. He was not represented by comi- : sel. Asked: "Do you object to be tried '■ jby flits court martial?'' he answered, "Certainly riot." Asked if he objected to the shorthand writer being a man in uniform, lie said lie did not object, to the man personally. Ho had some experience of shorthand reporters, mid strictly objected to any amateur shorthand writer "attempting to take down his speeches. Tn veply to (,'olomd McDonald (Judge ■ .Advocate), the shorthand writer said lie had : ho certificate. Webb then formally objected. The court conferred, and decided to over-rule the objection, Iml after Colonel Mncdrmald had expressed the ' opinion that, in fairness to accused, the objection should be allowed, the court decided to allow it, and adjourned till this afternoon, in order to obtain a certificated shorthand wilier. Ijater. As no certificated shorthand writer was ; available when tins court resumed, it was •' decided to proceed with the cane. The charge was read over, and Webb ; ' plcndi": guilty. The .Itidge-Advocate pointed out that* the pice, of guilty meant that the court; ■ would pass sentence, and advised Webb to plead not guilty. " , Webb said lie was guilty of disobeying' the order, but hoped to show good reason, for doing so. \ The court accepted this a3 a plea of not guilty.

Wellington, Lust Night. ; -•■' Lieut. Thomas and Sergeant Carey" ■„■■ gave evidence ts to the refusal of Webb to take his kit when ordered. There ware no other witnesses for the > prosecution. Accused said ho lid not wish to give. * evidence or call witnesses. H<> desired to make a statement to the court. Webb opened his address by thankjng the military authorities for their treatment of him, and expressing his appreciation of the assistance and advice given him by Colonel Macdonald. The charge brought against him was a serious one. It was quite clear that if the case had been brought before a general court martini ho '' would have been liable to a sentence of death. Me proceeded to my he had been compelled by principle to refuse to obey' ' orders. He had repeatedly protested ! against men in civil life, whether they ' were political, religious or conscientious objectors, being tried by court-martial. He questioned the judicial capacity of .' , military officers. If a man was to bo tried he should not be brought before ,' men whose political or military judg- ■ ment was against the stand he took up* Tlio law should reflect the collective . judgment, of the people, and he wished , to question the law under which he was ; • charged. The conscription law had been ■ passed about twelve months after the last general election. Ho did not a&jnit lie t.nmit'i 1 n breach of the moral law

(if the country. The conscription law liiul been jjiif.iod without a mandate of (lie people, mid lie had been denied Oio right 1.0 criticise the Government. He .■.' . liad asked the Government to consult the y* people by means of a referendum, as in '_'■ Australia, where Ilia people bad rejected '.V conscription. i -, Webb went on to sla'e Hi,'.!, roldiers .-■ who had helped to ■ iect liim to I'nr- ,!* liament in 1014 bad left him to represent them and their dependents. They had •!■ asked him it; look after their interests. :■' lie bad stated lii.s willingness to .ibey the ( v? will of bis constituency. He was willinjt to go to the front if his constituents sitid ' ;'. so, but. no request of the kind had come. , * He had registered his protest against the ■i; evil tilings done during the Avar. .' '. Major Talbot; By whom? By iht i,-.; Germans? Webb: By some people who are eqimlly ; - as bad as the Germans, when they pile * i-j up war profits'while the people who pay • ■ these war profits are being exploited. He bad not appealed against military ser-, ,!' vice: liis constituency bad appealed fiyr ~ him, and ti:o Military Service Board had.-'-' <- rejected tbn appeal. Webb related bow he resigned his seat and bad been re-elected, but the Military Service Board refused a re-hearing; also ,-, .111 extension of leave to enable him to 1., attend the forthcoming session of Par- / liament. Webb said Varliamcnt had not 1-, exempted its own members, but it had .'/J? given power to the Ministers to declare .'^ ■ertitin industries essential. Ministers 'j

had secured "xemption for policemen, but •,,• not for the men who made the laws. • ' £ Accused became involved in an argtt- ' ,-j yncnt with tli« president regarding the '.. '■! war, the' yellow peril, and the Mnphbyment of women in place i.f ™<>n now in ■ 'j the army. Tie spoke of recent diplomacy, '*! and ,vas dealing with tin* theory o{ government, vvheu tli" preside,it stated thot r" the court was already in possession oC sufficient information to unable it to judge of his attitude. , ii fn his concluding remarks Webb que*- % tioned the soundness of military law, be- \ cause of its hr!; of support throughout the. country, lie realised lie could not • 1 expect consideration, and wuuiu 'Uter the penalty of his disobedient'?. The. wrongs done him and others would bo ■ remembered on the day of political judgment, when people dealt with the Government at the polls. > The president interrupted with a state, ment regarding the Government and the war. He said if the iOmpire did not win, there would be an end to freedom

of Labor members, Parliament and every- -; body else. '' Webb made a few further remarks, and Major Talbot then asked him to conclude. V>fj Private Webb repeated that he had '!_Jj sewed his own conscience, and would be prepared to accept the judgment of the.. ; people. , '( '; Colonel JiLicdouald said the prosecu- ' * tion had established its case, by showing ' J tliat the order given was a lawful one, -'|, that it had been properly given, and that ;■; accused had refused io obey it. Arcused admitted his denance of the law v plainly, and the case could be left to !j[| the decision of the court. 'i The court was cleared while court considered its decision, and the sentence will _ / be prolnulgated later. . ('