A QUESTION OF EXEMPTION

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 45, 21 February 1918, Page 11

A QUESTION OF EXEMPTION

TO TEE EDITOR,

Sir, —I would,' with your - leave, Mr. Editor, invite the four candidates ■ for Wellington North to explain and justify (if. 'they can) the fact that wluie the Parliament, of this Dominion refused to j pass a. Bill exempting the clergy and I Marist Brothers (who have not, so far, volunteered for military, or national service), the Cabinet has instructed the Military Boards to exempt Marist Brothers as well as clergyman without even calling upon them to appear before the boards, publicly, as claimants for exemption.—l am, etc.. \; ' AN ELECTOR OF WELLINGTON , NORTH. [Enquiries made by ■ a Post reporter show that no instructions have been is'•sued by Cabinet to Military Service Boards with respect to the appeal of any appellants. The Military . Service Boards, it is pointed out, are judicial ■tribunals constituted by statute, and Cabinet has no power whatever to issue instructions to them. The bdards are advised from time to time as to the policy of the Government with respect to industries and professions, and: are recom-. mended to deal with appeals of reservists belonging to those industries and professions in accordance^ with that policy, but the decision in every case rests entirely with the board. No exemption of any kind, we are assured, has been granted to clergy or. Marist Brothers except on appeal to a Military Service-Board.] - ' ' .■. \