LEAVE FROM GAMPS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 134, 4 December 1917, Page 7

LEAVE FROM GAMPS

TOO MANY APPLICATIONS

NEW- INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED*

The following instructions relatiw t« leave from 1 camp have been issued by tha Minister of .Defence (Sir James. Allen) :— "The withdrawal of men, from the Expeditionary Force' Training- Camp ha« assumedjSuch dimensions as' to prejudicially affect the training of the men and the efficiency and due despatch of rein.-. forcement drafts. \ This trouble k' accentuated by the fact that the-great majority of applications is: from sdldieni whose training : is almost completed, and who are upon the eve. of; embarkation.: It cannot ,be: too clearly;^understood and emphasised that onc> a, man has entered into camp, his. course.of graining .should not be disturbed at any time, ■'. unless' for the most grave and; urgent reasons. !Hi« training is undertaken ;in the shortest possible, tame, and-is based upon a definite syllabus, the omission, of any part of,which renders the individual, and consequently his company, less-: efficient ■ than they might have been: It follows, therelore, that .training should not be interfered with at any : stage... Every'.retervist called up for'eervice has" the right' of appeal for exemption on any of the grounds laid down-in the Military Service Act His necessities should; be thoroughly investigated by the■■ Military. Serviceßoard before he.goes into camp, and not left tor consideration after he has commenced" his training. This question of leave froiri campa has been recently, under.. consideration, acd it has-been decided* that apphcations by soldiers for leave up to fourteen days will be dealt with by-the Camp. Commandant, in; xamp,.and that applications .for .leave for over fourteen daysr will be referred by the^ camp authorities to the Third Wellington Military Service Board for decision. "Many cases have arisen where men or their wives have applied for leave on account of approaching. confinement: A recent conference of chairmen of Military Service Boards lias affirmed the following as the principle on which they wilkact if euch cases are brought before them. '• H the confinement is due while the soldier is undergoing training he may be granted fourteen days' leave with pay for the event; if the confinement is due within ■ two months of. the date of departure: of' his reinforcement,.he will- he' detained m. ,tJl ® Dominion until after the event, and may be granted fourteen daya' leave with ( pay for it.' As confinement easea will be treated on this definite principle, 1t,. 1? considered unnecessary to refer apphcaboße of this -kind to th? Military Service Board,-;. the Cpmmandant will deal with, these cases and will act in conformity" with this'principle upon th« medica}:, evidence; >y-hich muet be «jbnnttedin support-of each case. - "Applications are of the followin* categorics :— " . ' ' ••

_ ' (a) Application from the man himself in camp. The application must be made only on the form provided in camp, and must, be transmitted through the campauthorities to the llilitary Service Board. The board will not consider, any application through any other channel whatsoever. -Jfo application from a soldier in. the 33rd • Reinforcements will be' received after 10th December.

-*"■& from the 'employer.— Only the public interest cati justify tire reJeaae,of a soldier from camp at die .request; of :»ji employer,. .whether farmer, manufacturer,^'or ■■> Recent wente have shovrriiunmirtakably thattlse great majority of applications are by or on. behalf of men' engaged in the agtrcultur»t and pastoral induetrie*..." It can be tafoeij for granted that the neceesiiiy fpr ;leaTe can be ioreae«n, and. that; there'c*n be no hardship,, therefore,--In' iimttiog that 'appßcatioßS must be made two clear moflthe before the soldier's trainwg raid*. ■It. is proposed., to : publish fromtime.io tune the lart day on which appJScationg anil be received in respect of eoldiere ia a. particujar- reinforcement. An ei«>ept«p» i« being TOade in ; . respect of- the 33rd- Ilemforcements. ' Application* lot soldiere in this draff will not" he cohBJdered if remved later than 10th De* cemberl - '•-••v r .'-. :;r

■ : Tt 16 <njita anticipated ttiat at any : time, beforei.'tbe sailihg of a draft urgent cases may arise by, reason of' sudden emergency, isuch as death, serions" illness, or some, other'"cauee which could;not have been foreseen.. These emergency applications will be'reeeived at any time, and, H ui«ency is established, will be cobsidered."^ --. . ; -..•,..-