MILITARY TRAINING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17061, 14 August 1917, Page 6

MILITARY TRAINING.

CONSIDERATION

FOR FARMERS'

SONS

EXEMPTION IN CERTAIN CASES.'

Recently th e Wangamii-Waitotara Efficiency Board of Trustees communicated with the National Efficiency Boar,} urging that in eertam cases cadets and territorials on farms should be exempted from attending drills. A typical case concerned a settler ■who had recently .appealed to the military authorities for exemption from drill for two of his sons who are Cadets, 'ihe settler in question has had two sens called up, and another likely lo bo drawn in the Second Division. At present, with the two youngest boys, ho had 2,500 sheep and 70 head of cattle to look after, besides one of his son's farms of 390 acres; and labour could not be procured. *

It was suggested that the two youngest boys could proceed eight miles bo Waverley on evenings, to drill, but, on the other hand, it was claimed that the boys would not be fit for drill after working from 7 a.m. until dark.

The matter was referred to the Minister of Defence, who has now informed the Efficiency Board that instructions will be issued that every consideration will be extended to farmers in the direction of exempting boys from territorial training, and that where the local Defence officers are satisfied Cadets should be excused by the nature of their occupation, leave should be granted.