TOO SLOW.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 883, 8 December 1916, Page 10

TOO SLOW.

THE APPEAL BOARDS. WORK TO BE SPEEDED UP. [Special to The Sun.'! WELLINGTON, December 7. The work of military appeal boards is not proceeding as rapidly as the recruiting authorities would wish, and indications, at present, are that additional boards will be required in order to keep abreast of the appeals received from reservists summoned under clause 35, and picked up in the ballot. -The authorities would like to avoid creating additional boards owing to the desirability of maintaining uniformity of practice, and it is possible that the existing bodies -will be able to accelerate their proceedings as they accumulate a store of precedents for their own guidance. The number of appeals received lip to the present lime is no fewer than 2000, including the clause 35 men, and it probably reaches 3000. There are four hoards at work, and it does not appear that they have been handling more than ten appeals per day each on an average. Yet it is important from the point of view of the recruiting branch that all appeals at present in hand should be heard within the next two or three weeks, in order that the rolls of the 24th and 25th Reinforcements, due to be mobilised during January, should be completed. The prompt hearing of appeals is important for another reason. If long delays occur before reservists who have appealed are brought before the Military Service Board a premium is placed upon the raising of objections to service. The man who accepts the call and makes no appeal will go into camp promptly, while a reservist who tried to avoid service by raising some possibly frivolous objection, will secure many weeks grace. The fact that the majority of the appeals are dismissed by the boards shows the desirability of prompt hearing.