DESERTERS.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7911, 26 July 1917, Page 1

DESERTERS.

MEN WHO ARE DEAD.

Two instances in which stigma has been thrown on the names of deceased persons gazetted as deserters were quoted in Parliament by Mr W. T. Jennings, member for Taumarunui. He cited the cases of Mr Arthur Miller Potts, professor of music, Taumarunui. and Mr M. Blueman, of New Plymouth, who have been dead over twelve months. Both these names, said Mr Jennings, could be found on the list of deceased persons in the Registration Office. “I would like to explain to the honorable member the precise steps which are taken by the Defence Department with respect to the case of each reservist who has been called up for service by ballot, and who has not been located by his Group Commander,” is the Minister’s reply. “As soon as a man is called up for service by ballot the Group Commander posts to him at his last known address, which is that published in the Gazette, an order to parade for medical examination. If he fails to respond, enquiries are made through the Post Office and the police to ascertain if any later information is known as to his whereabouts. If these enquiries are without result the case is referred by the Group Commander to Defence Headquaiters for action under Section 13. Headquarters then refers the case to Base Records to ascertain if the reservist is on their records as a member of the Expeditionary Force; to Internal Affairs to ascertain if there is any record of a permit or passport having been issued to the man; to the Government Statistician to ascertain if any advice has been received since the ballot of any change of abode; and to the RegistrarGeneral to ascertain if there is any record of the man’s death. If the man cannot be traced by these enquiries, his name is then gazetted under Section 13. With respect to the two eases mentioned by the honorable gentleman, I would point out that the name of Arthur Miller Potts has not been gazetted as a deserter under Section 13. In the case of M. Blueman, of New Plymouth, if an error has occurred it is due to the fact that the enrolment card as supplied to the Government Statistician was in the name of ‘M. Blueman,’ whereas the notification of death received was in the name of ‘M. Blewman.’