SURPRISES IN STORE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 43, 5 June 1917, Page 4

SURPRISES IN STORE.

rOR MILITARY SHIRKERS

NEED FOR REGISTRATION PROOF. The Defence Department requests that the greatest publicity be given to the appended article, which appeared in the Wellington "Post”;— Some misapprehension seems to prevail among a certain number of men called up under the Military Service Act as to their position in the event of their being punished for military offences or in ignoring the notices to submit themselves for medical examination, and if passed as fit to proceed to camp. The men concerned, though but a small proportion of the 26,782 men who have already been called up by ballot, are stated to be more or less unwilling to serve, and are behaving accordingly. Enquiries made by a “Post” reporter showed that the authorities have some surprises in store. LIABLE TO ARREST AFTER THE WAR. In the first place, a considerable, number of the men who are avoiding service—that is, by failing to present themselves for medical examination, and thereby ignoring the ballot—ap. pear to be labouring under the impres-. sion that if they succeed in escaping service during the war they will not be punished afterwards. This is a wholly erroneous idea, as by failing to comply with the ballot they become deserters, and may bo arrested and punished for such offence exactly the same after 1 the war as during it. Further, deserters, even after punishment, are liable to bo discredited throughout life by having the fact brought out against them when in the witness-box or standing for any public office, or at any time in private life by their fellow-men. In addition, the fact of desertion is likely to tell against a man in obtaining and retaining his employment. The future life of a deserter in New Zealand, accordingly, docs not promise to bo a happy one. ENFORCING SECTION 44.

Another erroneous impression by men who have failed to respond when called up by ballot is that by constantly changing their address and by removing from one island to another they will escape detection. This method in the past has been attended by a certain amount of success, but the day for that will soon bo over. The Government Statistician (Mr Malcolm Fraser) on being communicated with stated that all registration certificates that had been applied for had now been forwarded to the various post offices for delivery, and in many cases were awaiting claimants. These should be called for at once, and all Reservists who had not made application to him for the same should do so promptly through the various post offices. The importance of possessing such enrolment certificates will be appreciated when it is stated that it is intended in the immediate future to enforce section 44 of the Military Service Act. This gives the power to any constable to question any man who may reasonably be supposed to be of military age on the subject, and in the event of such man being unable to satisfactorily account for himself he may be detained by the constable and brought before a justice of the peace and dealt with according to law. ‘ Thus it is to the interests of every man of military age to possess an enrolment certificate, or he may in. the near future find himself in an awkward predicament. Section 44 of the Act has not so far been enforced, owing to the fact that the issue of enrolment certificates has taken longer than was anticipated, but this task having now been completed the public may expect it to be applied after due notice has been given. This date will probably be announced shortly. THE ROUNDING-UP PROCESS.

It is hoped by means of police action to rapidly account for all men who have not answered the call when they have been drawn in the ballot, or have evaded registration. In Great Britain this has been done by closing the exits of particular streets and obliging every man within the enclosures and in the adjoining buildings as well to account for himself. The same procedure has also been adopted at public gatherings, such as race meetings, football matches, etc. It is not improbable that the New Zealand authorities will rigorously follow the British example, so that all men who are ignoring their obligations may soon be caught in the net. ' A CAMP NOTION EXPLODED.

Some misconception also appears to have arisen among a certain number of men, both ballot men and volunteers, already in camp. They'seem to think that by committing military offences and serving sentences they will not only expiate their crimes, but escape further military service altogether. In this, however, they are wholly mistaken. The position is that on completing their sentence, whether in military detention barracks or in the common gaol, they are sent back to camp to continue their training. It is possible for them, of course, in a desire not to get to the front, to offend again,_ and get another sentence, but the military authorities have an effective cure for that. Where they are convinced that a man is only committing offences with a view to getting sentenced and avoiding gdfcg to the front, they solve the situation by simply placing the man in question on board the first outgoing transport, and despatching him straight to the front, where the discipline is much more rigid than that imposed in New Zealand. Already it is related several men have had their notions corrected in this way. Some, indeed, refused to carry their kits, believing that without them it was impossible for them to be sent. They, however, made an interesting discovery. They were marched straight on board a transport, 1 and on arrival there were supplied with now kits, and had the cost of same deducted from their pay. Their refusal to carry their kits thus proved costly to no one but themselves. The military view is that Hie men so treated have no one but themselves to blame. The military training is given them so that they may be able to stand a maximum chance of survival at the front, and if they refuse to receive the benefit of the instruction being given the fault is only their own.