IS IT POPULAR?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 3

IS IT POPULAR?

STRIKING RETURN ON DEFENCE. THE PROSECUTIONS. A return prepared at the request of the Minister for Defence shows how tho Territorial Defence sehemo has worked, and how tho provisions of tho Aot have been observed, up to November 30, 1912. In all New Zealand there were, up to'the date mentioned, only 3G2 prosecutions for refusals to take the oath, and the total number of absonces from drill by Territorials and Senior Cadets, during the period covered by tho return, was lllil. From tho time when tho Defence Act came into operation at tho begiuning o£ 1910, up to November 30 last, 901 Territorials and 151 Senior Cadets wore convicted for dereliction of duty. The number of persons imprisoned during the samo period for failure to comply with the provisions of the Act was 68. Tho smallness of theso figures is interesting, when it is remembered that up to May 31, 1912, 61,797 Senior Cadets and Territorials had been registered.' The details.of the return are as follow:— AUCKLAND. * TerriS, Cadets., torial. Non-registrajidn — , 6 Refused take oath — 15 Absenco from drill and obstruction parades 36 236 Convictions "25 221 Imprisoned — 30 WELLINGTON. Non-registration -3 ■ 10 Refused take oath 4 21 Absenco from drill and obstruction parades ...59 332 Convictions 55 325 Imprisoned — 8 , CANTERBURY. Non-Tegistration 1 3 Refused take oath 1 281 Absence, from drill and obstruction parades 41 ; 304 Convictions 40 281 Imprisoned — 30 ' OTAGO. Non-registration 1 ; 13 Refused take oath ' 4 36 Absence from drill and obstruction parades 28 134 Convictions 31 77 Imprisoned — —