MILITARY BALLOTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2981, 19 January 1917, Page 6

MILITARY BALLOTS

EXEMPTIONS

THE NEW REGULATIONS. On Tuesday last regulations were gazetted providing that applications tin- the- exemption of men who have enlisted voluntarily should bo considered and decided by the Military Service Boards, set up under tbo Military Servico Act to deal with appeals against the calling-lip of those whose names had been drawn in the ballot. Prior to tlm issue of the new regulations, such applications were inquired into and considered by the Hon. A. M. 'Myers, Minister in Charge of Munitions ami Snppliesr who is each case submitted a recommendation to the Minister of Defence. Exemptions were granted generally only for a few month's, when tlio cases would again come up for revision on receipt of an application for extension of the period, Roughly speaking, about 7(HI applications wore dealt with by Mr. Myers, and a very large number of the exemptions granted expired at tlio end of last month.

In view of tlio new arrangement, it will be necessary in fjiture to address all applications for exemption of tliosc who luivo enlisted voluntarily, to tlie Commandant, oaro A.G., 2 Branch, AY.F.C.A. Huildinpr. Laml:tyi Quay, AVellington, who will, arrange for them to be considered by'the Military Service Board of the district in which the man on whoso behalf the application is made, resides. Applications for extension of periods of exemption already granted under the voluntary system should bo similarly addressed. •'

Additional Appeal Boards. ' , During the last few days the Minister of Defence (Hon. J. Allen) has been making a general survey of the operations of the.Military Servico Act. He stated on Wednesday that ho had derided to .increase tho number of Military Service Boards from four to eight, in order to dispose of accumulations oi appeals. Yesterday tho Minister informed a reporter that he intended to bring tho number of boards up to ten by tho creation of two _ temporary boards, which would assist in handling arrears of work.

Nearly 11,000 men have been drawn in the three ballots already taken., and tlio number of appeals lodged by men claiming exemption or suspension has been large. "It is most important that the appeals should, all bo dealt with quickly," said the Minister. "I hope that with ten Boards at work we shall dispose of all the appeals already in hand before- the next ballot is.taken, or very soon afterwards. Then two shrill maintain in existence a sufficient number of Boards to keep abreast of the.work in the future, ami so avoid delays in getting tho eligible men into camp. 1, ! Each of the four original Boards has a Magistrate < for a chairman. The Minister does not expect to be able to obtain the services of six additional Magistrates for this work, but-.the Chairmen, who have still to be selected, will be gentlemen with legal training. Tho members 'of the Boards will bo prominent citizens who arc over military at;e and who have no direct interest in tho operation of the Act. Tho new Boards will he guided hy the precedents that havq been established already, and to this extent their work will be simplified.

SEAMEN AND, FIREMEN All appeals for. exemption from the provisions of the Military Service Act made on behalf of seamen and firemen by tho secretary of the Seamen's Federation are to ho heard by tho Wellington Military Sqrvico Board in future. In connection with the first ballot there were twenty-six appeals oLthis description throughout New Zealand, all of which have been heard, with the exception of two adjourned from Christchurch to Wellington. Of the number sixteen have been adjourned sine die, conditionally on the appellants remaining in the mercantile marine, and three 'have been dismissed. On the ballot there are fifteen appeals "m the various districts, and twenty-nine on the third ballot.