FAILING TO ATTEND DRILL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 79, 2 April 1912, Page 7

FAILING TO ATTEND DRILL

A HEAVY FINE. * By Telegraph.— Press Association. -Copyright. SYDNEY, Ist AprU. Twenty youths were charged to-day with failing to attend the compulsory training drills Tho defenco raised the point that proceedings could' not be taken until the expiration of the statutory year. The Magistrate upheld the point and dismissed the charge*. Harry Holland, Socialist leader, waa then charged with preventing his son from rendering personal service. The Magistrate considered that the offence was a serious one, and fined him £100. [During the heaving of the case, counsel for two of the accused said he intended to take the point that tn« information was bad, as it disclosed no offence. He arguea that the period of service under the statute for which, the Cadets were, liable for compulsory training was- from 31st July, 1911, to 30th June, 1912, and they could not be dealt with until tho period had expired. In the case of the lads he represented, it would be quite competent for them to make up the number of hour 3 they were deficient before the expiration of the year. This view had been upheld at H<jbart and Lauuceston, where a very large number of prosecutions had failed. Regulation 28 provided 1 for voluntary parades' to make up any time they might be deficient. — The Bench : Do i understand you 'to argue, Mr. Breckenridge, that if these information© had disclosed the offence as occurring between July, 1911, and June, 1912, instead of July, 1911, and February, 1912, they would have been good? — Mr. Breckenridge: That is bo, your Worship. I maintain that the period of service must b« closed before it can be determined whether an offence has been committed or not. — The Magistrate reserved his decision until yesterday.]