▁he ▁would ▁be ▁court - mart ial led . ▁However , ▁no ▁official ▁investigation ▁of ▁any ▁kind ▁was ▁ever ▁made ▁into ▁the ▁circumstances ▁of ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁letter ; ▁and , ▁for ▁some ▁und is closed ▁reason , ▁his ▁case ▁was ▁unexpected ly ▁dropped ▁altogether . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁any ▁" o fficial " ▁explanation , ▁is ▁reasonable ▁to ▁suppose ▁that ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁of ▁several ▁possible ▁influ ences ▁may ▁have ▁played ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁decision ▁of ▁the ▁authorities ▁not ▁to ▁proceed ▁against ▁Re id : ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁and ▁himself ▁were ▁ord ained ▁minister s ▁of ▁the ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Church ▁( and , ▁apparently , ▁held ▁in ▁high ▁regard ). ▁ ▁Despite ▁still ▁being ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" Im per ial ▁Forces " ▁when ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁( effect ively ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Col ony ▁of ▁Western ▁Australia ), ▁he ▁was ▁released ▁after ▁the ▁Australian ▁Commonwealth ▁Government ▁( in ▁Commonwealth ▁Gazette ▁No . ▁ 9 ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 1 ) ▁had ▁author ized ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Military ▁Forces , ▁effective ▁from ▁ 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁Six th ▁Western ▁Australian ▁( Mount ed ▁Infantry ) ▁Cont ing ent , ▁being ▁composed ▁of ▁just ▁ 1 4 ▁officers , ▁ 2 1 4 ▁men , ▁and ▁ 2 3 7 ▁horses , ▁were ▁greatly ▁in ▁need ▁of