THE DEFENCE ACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3950, 5 June 1913, Page 5

THE DEFENCE ACT.

TWELVE CHRISTCHURCH

YOUTHS IN TROUBLE,

[press ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMJ CHRISTCHURCH, June 4. Twelve charges against Lyttelton youths of failing to render personal service in a- Senior Cadet company were heard at the Lyttelton Police Court this morning. One youth said he was already a member of a Territorial band and another said that when he was transferred to Christchurch he verbally notified the Lyttelton commanding officer of his transfer, and he was now serving in the Railway Department corps. The charges were dismissed. Two others stated that they wished to join the Territorials, and had made applications to do so. Three others, who did not appear, were fined 10s and costs, and five others who promised to attend regularly in future were ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. Mr. Bishop, S.M., remarked on the absence from the Court of any responsible officer of the cadet company. A sergt.-major had been entrusted with the work of conducting the cases and the Magistrate remarked that the authorities had no right to place him in that position, as he was not in a position to know the details of the cases. In future, unless proper officers attended the Court to conduct these cases, he intended to dismiss the charges. It was not treating the matter properly to entrust business to a sergt.-major who, after all, did his best and obeyed orders, but it practically amounted to contempt of Court on the part of the senior cadet officers to bring these charges and not to appear in support of them.