A FALSE STATEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1918, Page 8

A FALSE STATEMENT.

A SOLDIER'S CONTRITION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchureh, Last Night. At the Rangiora Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr. Bailey, S.M., Ernest Frederick Ward, who appeared in khaki, was charged that he did wilfully attempt to deceive the Military Service Board in the exercise of its jurisdiction by stating that his father was not assisting on his farm, and that his father was keeping a hotel in Dunedin, at the time accused was giving evidence before the board, accused well knowing such statements to be false. A plea of guilty was entered. Counsel said accused, who»was 23 years of age, up to the had been of unbletriisliodcharacter. Accused and his brother had a farm at Glemnark, His brother was called up with the 27th Reinforcements, and left nccused to look after his interests. In his anxiety to preserve his own and his brother's interests hi the property his judgment failed him in the commission of the offence with which he Btood charged. Accused had gone into camp, had gained his lancecorporal's stripe, and the camp authorities gave him an excellent record. He desired to express his deep contrition for his offence, which he felt would (>■:• a blemish on his character for life. He had suffered punishment already by the wide publicity given to the case'by -the newspapers, and counsel asked the magistrate to treat accused exactly as he would 'be treated if before a judge and seeking probation, which he had no doubt would, under the circumstances, be granted. The magistrate, after commenting on the seriousness of the offence, said the case was an exceptional one; in fact, the first he had yet dealt with. He was glad to see that the young man had done well while in the military service, and he did not wish to send him to prison.He thought a line would meet the case, but lie wished it known that any offender coming before him on a similar charge would be severely dealt with. Accused was filled .€lO and costs.