FAILURE TO REPORT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20493, 1 March 1941, Page 9

FAILURE TO REPORT

MEN* FROM BALLOTS GOOD GISBORNE RECORD MEN OUT OF TOUCH Of the many hundreds of Gisborne and Coast men called' up in the two Territorial ballots and the first overseas 1 ballot, only three have failed to report for medical examination. All three of these men are regarded as involuntary defaulters, as owing to changes of address the army authorities have been unable to get into touch with them, and consequently they cannot be classed as deliberate absentees. The national service emergency regulations provide that men drawn in the ballot are to be notified by ordinary postal letter to present themselves for examination; and if they fail to heed this notice, that registered letters conveying the notices must be issued. If the balloted men do not present themselves after this second notice, their names may be gazetted under the regulations, with a final call to present themselves.

The penalty of ignoring this call will be prosecution under the punitive clauses of the regulations. Deliberate defaulters under the regulations will find the penalties salutary, since the charge is one of desertion. Sickness or other reasonable impediment will be given consideration by the authorities, but only in cases where the balloted man concerned has given notice of the impediment within the time given for reporting, or as soon as possible after the expiry of that period. Employers have an interest in seeing that their payrolls include no men who are evading their responsibilities in the matter of national service. It is, of course, an offence to knowingly employ a deserter, and the onus of proof is on the employer where a charge is laid.

Conscientious objectors whose appeals for exemption from service have been dismissed, and who have not since accepted their responsibilities, will be placed in the category of deliberate defaulters.