IN MILITARY CUSTODY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 7

IN MILITARY CUSTODY.

DEFAULTING TERRITORIALS AT MOUNT COOIv.i At Jlmmt Cook Barracks just now there is b?ing exemplified tho old snying that, the little birds who could sing and wouldn't sing were-made to sing. Under the Befence Act Amendment Act of last session defaultars under tho compulsory military training ordinances of tho New Zealand Government may bo committed by the magistrate to a period of detention in military, custody, until such time aa they have fulfilled their obligations under the Act. Six young men of the Napier district who had been cited as defaulters under the Defence Aot have recently been committed to tho Mount Cook Barracks, where, willy-nilly, they are drilling from early morn till dewy ere in order to render to their country that service winch other young men have already -done. The strongest complaint of tho young man who dutifully obevs his country's call to render his personal service in the required period of military training is that tho shirkefs, in tho past, havo more or less successfully evaded their obligations. Since the amending Act of last session was passed, however, this has been remedied, and for some time past the authorities have boon quietly marking down the shirker, and compelling him to do his fnir share. Several young men in Dimedin and Christchfirch have by this timo realised that it is much inoro agreeable to do their training in the ordinary, way than to do it under military detention, with its Spartan routine.