MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2864, 31 August 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE BOARDS

FOUR TO BE APPOINTED

CASE OF SHIRKING BROTHERS A, meeting of tho Recruiting Board was held yesterday, at which matters pertaining to tho administration of tho Military Service Aot were considered. It is understood that the board has now definitely decided to appoint four Military Service Boards, one in each military district, to hear appeals by or on behalf , of men called up Under the Military Service Act- for service with the Expeditionary Forco. Recruiting is'going on well just now, and if this liappy state, of continues no general recourse to conscription wiJI bo necessary for some time to come, but the Minister of Defence has already announced that so soon as the enrolment of the First Division of the Reserve is complete, he will exewiso the powers upon him by Clause 35 of the Act. This clause deals with shirking families of eligible brothers. . It enables ..the Government, without,r€KX)urse to the ballot, to call up. some or all tho brothers m families, of which there are two or mote eligible for enrolment in the First Division of the Reserve, who mil not ' volunteer for active service. It is. understood that-the Recruiting Board has information about a very largo number of families which will come within the scope of this clause, and it is Expected that the calling up of the men under it will give rise to a number of , appeals. As already-announced, more' appeal boards will be set up if four cannot cope with the work. The Act empowers the appointment of a board for'every recruiting district.