In a letter to Sir James Allen before going into camp he announced his intention of disobeying orders and taking the consequences. The news that P. C. Webb has refused to obey the commands of the military officers at the camp has caused no surprise to the authorities, as his action is exactly what was expected. He wrote a letter to the Minister of Defence, in which he declared his intention of disobeying the injunction of the Military Service Board to proceed to camp. This letter is published in the current issue of the Maoriland Worker. On receipt of the letter, Sir James Allen got into touch with Webb, and had an interview with him. The Minister asked Webb to go into camp, and offered to meet him in any reasonable demands he might make. The Minister offered, for instance, to allow Webb to go into the Medical Corps if he should have conscientious scruples against combatant service, and he also offered to arrange to give him any reasonable leave to attend the next session of Parliament. Webb at length promised to go into camp, but made no promise that he would obey orders when he got there. He would assuredly have had to go there if he had remained obdurate.
German colonies
When opening the Marton A. and P. Show last week, Mr E. Newman, M.P. for Rangitikei, referred (says the Manawatu Standard) to the coming War Conference, and what it portended so far as the dominion was concerned. In his opinion, the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward must remain at Home until peace was declared, or, at all events, until the fate of the German colonies was settled. It was imperative that the Germans must not be established in the Pacific Ocean again, and he thought that every public body in New Zealand should pass a motion such as was passed by the Wellington Harbour Board lately:- ``The board desires to most strongly urge upon the dominion representatives to the Imperial Conference in London that no settlement will be acceptable to the loyal population of New Zealand which leaves possible the re-occupation by Germany of any of the Pacific Islands.''
Brilliant defence
A New Zealand private soldier recently arrived at an Australian town in a transport, en route for the front (says a contemporary), and as he had left a wife and children behind, he was very anxious to send a letter to them. Unfortunately for him, no shore leave was granted, but with a couple of mates he determined to step ashore and post his letters. Snatching a favourable moment, the trio evaded the guard and got ashore, and after posting their letters and having a look round, came on board, but were unlucky enough to be ``spotted''. A court-martial was the result, and the private was the first to be tried, and pleaded guilty, explaining the circumstances of the case. Before being sentenced, he claimed the right to defend his comrades, which the court had no option but to grant. So brilliant was the defence put up that the men were acquitted, and afterwards the court decided not to convict the pleader. It then transpired that he was one of the dominion's ablest lawyers, worth something in the neighbourhood of 60,000. - ODT, 13.3.1918.
