MILITARY SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17270, 11 September 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE.

DEMONSTRATION IN DANNEVIIIKE. [Pee Pbbss AsaocuTio.N.J DANNEVIRKE, Septmber 9. A striking demonstration was made last night by a march of eligible men In support of registration under the Military Service Act. The Recruiting Committee proposed a parade of men in the district, and tho military and local bodies, friendly, societies and military and: civil organisations made an impressive procession. The town was crowded, and tho greatest enthusiasm prevailed. » „ , A striking feature of the procession was a large group of fathers of boys at' tho front, led by Mr F. Whaler, a local bootmaker, who has six sons at the war, and Mr P. Ericksen, with seven eons in uniform. The march was witnessed by the Hon "W. H. Hemes, who subsequently addressed a public meeting in the Town Hall, explaining the necessity for enrolment and the obligations under the Military Service Act. Ho stated that it was the Government's intention to carry the Act out in its entirety, and ho publicly thanked, on behalf of the Government, tho recruiting committees of the Dominion for the whole-hearted support given the Government. A KNOTTY POINT. SOLIOirOR-GENERAL CONSULTED. AN EMPLOYER'S LIABILITY UNDER THE ACT. A representative of the "New Zealand Times" put before Mr J. D. Grey (secretary to tho Recruiting Board) a letter from a correspondent asking whether an employer's liability under the Military Service Act ends when an employee states that he is more than forty-six years of age, or under twenty, even though there are no means of Verifying the statement. Mr Gray said that a similar question had been put to him by Mr W. A. W. Grenfell, on behalf of the Emp'oyers' Association. He had consulted the Solicitor-General on the point, and the Solicitor-General said that in tho case of employees who, being under or over military age (i.e., under twenty or over forty-six years of age), do not appear to be bo, all that an employer needs to do is to ask tho man to state hi* age and to judge by his appearance. If the employer, judging from tho appearance of the employee, still has any doubt as to his age, then he plvould refer the case to the Government Statistician, Wellington, whose business it will then bo to decide tho point. An employer who takes this action will be regarded as having taken reasonable steps, as required by the Act, to satisfy himself as to whether the man is of military age or not, and lie will be freo of all further liability in tho matter. OPEN AIR MEETING AT RANGIORA. ADDRESSES BY THE MAYOR* AND HON D. BUDDO. In response to a request from the chairman of the Recruiting Board for assistance in the publicity campaign in connection with the enrolment of the Expeditionary Force Reserve under the Military Service Act, the Mayor of Rangiora (Mr C. I. Jennings) h?ld an open air meeting in High Street on Saturday night. There was a large attendance. The Mayor explained the obligations of men under the Act, and impressed upon them the serious penalty entailed by any failure to comply with the regulations. The Hon D. Buddo urged those present to maintain, the Reinforcement quota for the Rangiora district under the voluntary system. At the close of tho meeting many change of address forms and' applications for certificates were filled in at the Mayor's office, the Hon D. Buddo Assisting in the clerical work. THE NEW REGULATIONS. BEING ADMINISTERED BY RECRUITING BOARD. The Hon G. W. Russell stated on Saturday that all the provisions of the . Military Service Act now are being administered by the Recruiting Board, which is ie-' sponsible for the administrative work in all its branches. Government departments; by request, aro helping tho loard. A correspondent, signing himself " Reservist," recently wrote to the "Lyttelton Times" inquiring what would happen if an enrolment form went astray, as no receipt or acknowledgment was given and the onus of proof is on the defendant. The secretary of tho Recruiting Board writes as follows:—"If 'Reservist' handed in a notification of change of address and asked that iu be registered this would have been done free of cost to him and he would have received the official receipt. In any case all notifications of change of address are being acknowledged by the Government Statistician, and therefore-if 'Reservist' does not receive that acknowledgment within the next fortnight he should communicate again with tho Government."