NEW ZEALANDER ATTACKED.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1919, Page 3

NEW ZEALANDER ATTACKED.

FEELING AT HORNCHURCH. London, April 25. There is evidence«about more than one of our camps that the feeling or cordiality which was shown towards our troops throughout the war is being modified since the armistice. This is presumably the natural revulsion which was very clearly noted after the Boer Wri\ The only place where it has received open expression is at Hornchurch, in Essex l , a village which has practically lived 1 on the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for more than three years past, and has shown the very greatest hostility to the troops.

A few days ago a young man* from Chadwell Heath was prosecuted at Romford for assaulting a New Zealand soldier suffering from shell-shock. The accused had himself been a prisoner of war. Giving evidence at the prosecution, Major J. M. Rose, N.Z.S.C, said he was responsible for the discipline at the convalescent camp at Hornchurch, where there had been as many as 2000 New Zealand soldiers. He could not be responsible for what might happen if tho present situation was not firmly handled New Zealanders could be left to look after themselves if they ran into trouble, but men who would harm no one, as well as their wives and sweethearts, had been held up in the dark and assaulted. The assailants then bolted. The men had held a meeting to consider the position, and if he had not interfered he was afraid there would have been a riot in Romford, and many innocent people might have suffered.

Superintendent Howlett said the police had passed through a period of great anxiety, and he hoped the Bench would deal firmly with the situation. The accused was sentenced to the maximum penalty of two months' imprisonment with hard labor,