UNDER THE NEW SCHEME.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 9

UNDER THE NEW SCHEME.

SHALL FIELD TRAINING COUNT AS HOLIDAYS? . A little problem faces employers of young men between the ages of 18 and 25 years, who are liable under the Defence Act to compulsory military training. Section 42, clause 2, of the Act mils as follows :—: — The prescribed training in the general training section shall, ra each year, ending the last day of February, be fourteen days in training camp and twelve half-days, except in the artillery and engineer branches, in which the training shall be fourteen days in training camp ■ and twenty half-days or the equivalent of twenty half-days. The question arises : Are the young men to count their fortnight in training camp as their annual holidays, or art they to have their usual annual holiday quite apart from the fortnight in training camp? The Act comes into force from the first day ol next year. So far, however, employers do not appear to have considered the matter, though some young employees have and expressed their desire for a separate annual holiday quite candidly. A Po&t reporter made a long .round of enquiries to-day to ascertain the feelings of employers on the matter, but in no ca.se had any employer come to any decision. Nearly all had absolutely overlooked the point. In regard to municipal employees liable, and to employees of the Harbour Beard under the age limit cf twenty-five, the question will be brought under the notice of the respective 0 governing authorities at the eirlie«t possible opportunity. Theie was a geneial agreement among employers, however, that impartial treatme it of the question ™s esse ntud that one rule should apply to all. His in this respect that the eftect of the new Defence Scheme will be first noticeable.