ACTING PREMIER

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16821, 28 May 1919, Page 7

ACTING PREMIER

ANSWERS SEVERAL QUESTIONS; ' ' THE DEFAULTERS' LIST.' Per Press Association.. .. ; . i' CHRISTCHURCH, May 27. _bir . James Ailen, who is detained in. CjhTisfechureh. owing to interruption cf tile ferry service, in reply to a quesY°n why the names of several military defaulters of some notoriety, have been omitted from the list of those deprived or civil rights, .said that some names had been deliberately left off on. the advice of the Commission set up to deal with the question of religious objectors. Altogether about 150 names of defaulters had been left off for this reason. The list looks pretty large, said Sir James, but the difficulty has been to find put where these men a re, .or.,some of them. Some may have gone to the front under assumed names. > One such case recently came under my notice. Others may be out of the. dominion. If any member-of the pubho knows of any defaulters whose names are not on the list they should acquaint the Defence Department. As far as I know all known defaulters other than religious objectors are on" the list. ■- ~ LORD JELLICOE'S VlS**.

In reference to the visit of Lord Jellicoe Sir James Allen said he did not think tlie Government could subsidise moneys granted by local bodies for the entertainment of the visitor. PEACE CELEBRATIONS. Sir James Allen said that no reply had been received from the British) Government as to when it was going to hold its Peace celebrations, and the Dominion celebrations 'would take place as arranged, after the signing of-, the preliminary peace. This decision was not unalterable but the trouble was that the Imperial Government might fix the time for their summer and New Zealand's winter. This was the difficulty of having a common day for a celebration all over the Empire. NEW TERRITORIAL TRAINING. Asked when the new long term Territorial training scheme would come into force Sir James Allen said it would certainly not be in force until after Parliament had had an opportunity of discussing it. He said the old plan did not make for efficiency, and intensive training would make better citizens and soldiers. The new scheme could not be put into force until all the ofleers were back, and the strength of the Territorial force and permanent staff ascertained. In the meantime nothing would be done.