SHORT SHRIFT FOR SHIRKER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 6

SHORT SHRIFT FOR SHIRKER

AN EXAMPLE FROM SINGAPORE. A correspondent, writing, from Singapore to a friend in London, says: "I am glad to seo tho King's appeal for recruits answered so readily, and hope tTjere wifl be a great influx. Why don's you deal with slackers as we do here? ?ou Ttnow, of course, that compulsory military training is in' 1 force hero. Ono man failed to appear at the place appointed, and was duly prosecuted. His cxcuse was that lie had conscientious objccEions to any military training in Singapore. Much to his surprise, he was .sentenced to two months' 'rigorous imprisrimnent,' and is to bo deported when his sentence expires. That's tho way to deal with 'slackers.' Their fel-low-countrymen no doubt have conscientious objections to paying a life forfeit in protecting such people. I would uso them as sandbags if I had my way. Just fancy a Britisher being so un-British as to consider his individual conscienco when his country is fighting to fulfil obligations which lie, as a Britisher, gavo his word of honour to fulfil. I happened to bo in the cemetery the day beforo yesterday paying resnects to tho_ memory of those poor fellows killed in tho mutiny here; one would think any man would bo glad enough to take up arms."

The sequel is contained in the following cutting from that vigorous and patriotic paper, the "Straits Times." The offence having been purged, the name of the offender may be omitted:

CONVICTION UNDER RESERVE FORCE AND CIVIL GUARD ORDINANCE. (To the Editor.)

Sir,—l shall be obliged if you -will give publicity to the enclosed petition to His Excellency the Governor. My punishmenthas been remitted, and I am deeply grateful to His Exccllency for giving me the opportunity of doing my duty to my country.— (Copy of Petition to H,E. the Governor.) Sir,—l regret very much that I adopted an attitude whicli 1 now consider ill-advised in refusing to make the election under tho Reserve Forco Ordinauce. It is not the punishment imposed on me that has made rae alter my views, and I am prepared fully and truly to make the renuisito election. I ask H.E. tho Governor to overlook my mistake and to remit all or part of the punishment.. I undertake to make the election required by law. Singapore, October 28, 1915. LOCAL ENLISTMENTS Tlie following mon have been enrolled in the City as fit for aotive service:— Fretlk. Gould, carpenter, City (Engineers). Horace Victor Hildreth, chemist, Karori (Medical). E. G.'Jones, medical student, City (Ambulance). Jack Burrow, shopherd, Wainui-o-ma-ta (Mounted). | Edward Potham, driver, City (Mounted). Harry 0. Winnie, driver, Lower Hutt (Infantry). _ _

Albert Fredk. Burnctte,- Civil Servant, City (Mounted). Clarence August, farmer, Lower Hutt (Mounted). Malcolm Campbell, drover, City (Infantry). Joseph Nicholls, labourer, City (Infantry) . Thos. Win. Mason, labourer, Petono (Infantry). Hector V. Winnie, driver, Lower Hutt (Infantry). A. L. Lewis, Civil Servant, City (Mounted). John C. Cnll, clerk, City (Mounted). Allan Colin Anderson, clerk, City (Medical). Robert Wm. Pierson, butcher, Kaiwarra (Veterinary Corps). Ernest Browne, racing stable hand 'Mrunted). Harry Ttinley, driver, Johnsonville (Infantry). Donald Graham, clerk, City (Pay Department). Wm. Jlichanl Glavin, draper, Newtown (Mounted). John Wynn, bridge builder, Auckland j (Engineers). Chap. S. Morton, molorman, NcwHowa (MouutedK