MILITARY SERVICE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3557, 18 September 1916, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE.

AN IMPORTANT CHANGE.

OATH TO BE TAKEN ON

ENLISTMENT,

Wo have received the following message- from the chairman of the Recruiting Board : —

The Military Service Act places every man of military age (except members of the -Expeditionary Force or men who have been discharged from that force, because of disablement or ill-health after service beyond the seas) in the Reserve, and into any' ballot that may be taken to make r,cod a district shortage. A man who wishes to escape the ballot can only do so by enlisting and taking the oath of allegiance and thus becoming a member of the Expeditionary Force. ■ There is no other method by which he can be taken out of the Reserve. Section 53 of the- Act gives the Go-vernor-in-Council power to make regulations requiring the attestation in such form as may be prescribed. These regulations are being .prepared, and it; is proposed to bring them into force on Monday, September 25, 1916. On .and; after that date all recruits, as they; register, will be sworn in as members or the Expeditionary Force. Tlie> new attestation will be for general service only. Each recruit, -however, will be'allowed to express his preference- for any arm of the service, arid every consideration will be given to his preference, but no guarantee will be given that he will be transferred to such arm. ■ The foregoing applies to men who volunteer for service on and after Monday, September 25. the men who at that date ai;e registered in the several group* offic&s, will bo given duo notice to attend at a- time and" place which will be stated m order to take the oath of allegiance. Any man who fails to attend and swear-in will bo. struck oft the group office register and will thus remain . in the reserve, and will be liable to be called up for compulsory service in any ballot that may bo taken to make good a shortage- n _ On and after Monday, September 20, the recruic will be paid the sum of 5s per day for every, day or part of a day occupied in travelling from his home to the nearest Defence Office, or to the ! Defence Office at which he has been [ordered to report for the purpose of being sworn in. In addition accommodation and boat or railway warrants (will be provided in all cases whore necessary.

A recruit will not receive accommodation, boat, or railway warrants, or more than one day's pay of ss, if he goes out of his district, or to other than the nearest Defence Office, or to other than the office at which he has been ordered to report for the purpose of bcinsx sworn-in. He will be entitled In pay as a soldier from the duo date of his departure from his home to undergo Ins training at an Expeditionary Force camp. ______ ■