WHEN PAY IS STOPPED FOR MILITARY OFFENCES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3124, 30 June 1917, Page 8

WHEN PAY IS STOPPED FOR MILITARY OFFENCES

SHOULD WIVES AND DEPENDANTS SUPPER? The Advisory Board of tho Now Zealand Patriotic War Relief Societies some days ago addressed the following letter to the Defence Minister, Sir James Allen: Several cases have been reported of the stoppage of military pay to wives and dependants owing to the military offences of the soldiers. This question was considered at the last meeting of the Advisory Board, and members expressed the opinion that wives and dependants should not bo made to suffer for the offences of the soldier. It was pointed out that in civil life the wife and dependants must necessarily suffer for the criminal acts of anyone upon w.bom they are dependant, but it was thought that the circumstances of a soldier fighting for his country placed him upon a different footing. It was decided to bring the question under your notice for consideration, i In tho course of his reply, Sir James Allen said:—"Tho military pay which soldiers have allotted to dependants is stopped wton the soldier making the allotment is undergoing certain punish: ment for military offences. Our soldiers on active service are serving under the Amiy Act. This Act defines the punishment which can bo inflicted for various military offences, and we have no power to vary this in any way. Tho usual form of punishment in the field for ordinary offences takes tho form ot short periods of detention or field punishment. A soldier draws no pay while serving such sentence; this is the principal part of tho punishment. If tho suggestions of your eociety were adopted it would mean that tho Government practically guarantee to pay the fines inflicted upon a military offender, and the 'punishments above defined would thus become ineffective. This would have tho effect of compelling commanding otficers, in the interest of discipline, to resort to other and less desirable forms of punishment, which are provided as alternatives under the Army Act. As your society points out, in civil life tho wito nnd dependants must necessarily 6unei' for the criminal acts of any one upon whom they are dependant, I cannot see that tho circumstances of a soldier nghting for his country varies that principle. It is absolutely vital that discipline in a military force on active service should lie maintained, and the fact must not bo overlooked that there is a certain class of men who would be less amenable to discipline if they knew that the State had practically absolved them from their responsibilities in regard to those dependant npon them.

The ninth annual report of the Khandallah Bowling Club, to be submitted to a general meeting on Thursday next, contains tho following information concerning the year's work:-During the season one new "member was elected, and eleven resignations received, most of these bems in respect of players who had left tho district. Tho membership now stands at forty-nine. In pursuance of the intention of tho directors a year ago, calls were mailo at intervals, at the rate ot fid nor share, and the last ot such at present meditated having been wade, tno shares (£1) now appear as 10s. paid y.p. Tho amount received during the twelve ■months in respect of calls was J; 16 2s. (id. in event of interest was tlio playinj; of some of tho dominion toiirnanicnt matches on tho green, this being regarded us proof of tho improved state ot the ground Tho thanks of tho directors aru duo to tho members who on mimcro'is occasions assisted, end to tho ladies for their kind offices during tho' Dominion Tournament, and to Messrs. Living and Cowles for presentation, of. medals. Messrs. Living, Stafford, and Monro retire from the directorate l>y eftluxion of time, but arc eligible for re-election. Ihe bal-ancß-shect shows that. Iho assets exceed the liabilities by J&130.