GENERAL ITEMS

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13461, 16 April 1917, Page 3

GENERAL ITEMS

An unusual case was brought under the notice of the Appeal Board at Napier, when a young man applied for extension of time isays the Hawkc's Bay Herald). He stated that he enlisted a few months ago, went into camp, and after three weeks in camp was discharged owing to his health breaking down. Since then lie had ben married. His healths was anything but good, and he was 011 special diet. He did not want to shirk i n any way, and would serve in any capacity lie could possibly manage, but asked for an extension of time. The Board adjourned his appeal pending his examination by the Military Service Medical Board.

There is a siory of a French milk supplier, who, in order to maintain a clear complexion, used to bathe in the milk before it was served out to customers. The man was eventually found out, and was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. Although not quite so bad as this case, a somewhat similar instance has (according to the Manawatu Standard) been brought to light in connection with the Palmerston North water supply. At a recent meeting of the Borough Council in that town Councillor O'Reilly said he had received information on good authority that a party of picnickers who visited the intake on Sunday had bathed in the dam. "Men who bathe in the borough water supply ought to be gaoled," said Cr. Crabb. "The women bathed, too," added Cr. O'Reilly. 0n : the Mayor's motion it was decided to ask the inspector for a report on the matter.

New Zealand does not appear to possess very many "shirkers," but there are a few young men \yho put themselves to quite a lot of trouble to avoid receiving the official notices that they have been selected under the compulsory clauses of the Military Service Act. Apparently they have an idea that if they do not receive the notices they will not become liable for service. The truth is that the issue of these notices is purely an act of grace on the part of the Defence Department. The essential notification, under the Act, is the publication of the name in the Gazette, and no reservist can excuse hiriiself by claiming that he did not receive a special communication from the Defence Department. It i s the duty of each man to ascertain whether or not his name appears in the gazetted lists. Mr Horatio Bottomlev writes in the Sunday Pictorial, of London, an article on "How the Dominions Helped to Save the Empire," from which we make the following extract concerning conscription:—"Then it spread to New Zealand; the Government demanded conscription and the leaders of the various labour unions replied: 'Let us have the opinion of the people. Let us have a referendum, and if the peonle vote in favour of compulsion, we will have it, but not otherwise.' The Government would not listen; they forced a compulsory Bill through Parliament, and the day the first call was made all the men in the most important mines 011 the West Coast struck work, and a cry went up for a general strike in the whole of New Zealand—with Australia ready to follow within 48 hours. Thereupon the New Zealand "Government quashed the Compulsion Act and withdrew the order for forced service; but much mischief had been done: the fine spirit of patriotism in both young countries had ben checked." If this is the sort of information editors and exmembers of Parliament obtained during the visit of our two leading statesmen to England, it would seem that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are not disseminating much knowledge about their own •ouatrr.