CALLING UP THE DERBY RECRUITS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2701, 22 February 1916, Page 5

CALLING UP THE DERBY RECRUITS

FIRST BATCH NEXT WEEK CONSCRIPTION IN THE AIR CUTTING DOWN THE EXEMPTIONS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, February 20. The first group of the Derby men (single men of 18) will be called up next weok. It •is understood that they will not begin their training unless they have reached the age of nineteen. The remainder will be sent home till they reach military age. The' advisability of conscription for the younger married men is Ijeing discussed. It is generally believed that it is unlikely at present, but much deponds on the percentage of effective recruiting among the unmarried. TJpon that will also depend the summoning of i the - married men who attested under the Derby scheme. The authorities are seeking means - for making recruiting more productive. The News Agency states that the authorities are touring' the counties, investigating the work of the local exemption tribunals and their handling of exemption, claims. A special committee has been established by the War Office to revise the- Teserved occupations, and it is expected that tho list • will soon bo reduced. A fresh list and instructions for the exemption tribunals are, .shortly to be issued, impressing the faot that national necessity must have priority of private business. During the sitting of the exemption tribunal at Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland, many farmers threatened to sell their stocks and abandon their farms if workmen were conscripted. The tribunal held that the bulk of the claimants necessary for agriculture should be exempted. GREAT RUSH FOR EXEMPTIONS SOME TYPICAL CLAIMS., ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. February 21, 6.10 p.m.) London, February 20. The great rush for exemptions the Derby scheme has alarmed the au< thorities, who find that about 80 pei cent, of the claims for exemption have been granted. Strong efforts are now boing\made to insist on a strict inter, pretation of the word "indispensable," with the rosult that the exemption tri- . bunals are beginning to show mors sternness in their treatment of appli, | cants. ' Some .typical cases were noted in London tribunals, when some remark able claims were heard. The secretary of the Naval and Military Bible Soeietj asked for the exemption of the 6uper> inteudent of his packing department, a man aged 19, as an "indispensable" em. ployee, for whom it would be impossible to 'find a substitute. The application was. refused. . < The tribunal decided that a commer-> cial traveller was a luxury in war-time, • and an appeal under this head was dis. missed. The claim of a distributor of official photographs was deferred for six months as coming in under the "reserved" definition.

A news agency, a military cap cutter, a scientific seedsman, and a cartoonist olaimed that their services were _"iiii dispensable." The claims were either 'refused or deferred! CHILD LABOUR IN AGRICULTURE. '(""Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, February 20. ; A deputation from the Trades Union Congress waited on Mr. A. Henderson (President of the Board of Education), protesting against the introduction c? child labour in agriculure. . Mr. Henderson stated that the policy of the Government was to employ children, strictly within defined conditions, only when all efforts to obtain adult labour had failed. Already eight .thousand children "were employed by ' tho School for Agriculture. This employment the Board of Education strongly deprecated, believing it was unnecessary, and the board was using its utmost powers to prevent improper exemptions. THE PLOT IN MADAGASCAR DENIED BY THE TOENOH' GOVERNMENT. Bv Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (''Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. February 21, 6.10 p.m.) Louden, February 20. The French Government officially contradiots the German assertions that there exists a widespread! plot to restore Madagascar's independence, and massacre of tho white population. The truth is that a small body raised a riot', which the Governor suppressed*. The .great majority of tlie natives ai ; e loyal to the Government. [It was cabled yesterday that tho Paris "Journal's" Antananarivo correspondent had stated that a grave German plot had been unmasked in Madagascar, aiming at the -poisoning and massacring of many French officers and men, high officials, slid settlers, and thon arming the natives and inciting a rebellion, and that thereby it was hoped lliat France would be obliged to retain a large army in the island. German Consular documents had been discovered stating that influential natives 1 were and that it would be easy to sfcir them up.]