NO DISCHARGES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2912, 26 October 1916, Page 6

NO DISCHARGES

THE POSITION OF RESERVISTS.

Some men havo applied to the Delenco Department lately to bo permanentlv discharged from tho Expcdi-' tionary "Forco Reserve on tlio ground that tliey havo already, been rejected on medical grounds after volunteering for service. The reply made to applications of this kind is that no Reservist can bo discharged unless ho is permanently disqualified from being of use to the Department in any capacity at all. A man who is blind or imbecilo or permanently bed-ridden, for example, may be struck off "the strength of the Reservo. But the Reservist who lias been declared unfit for service with the Expeditionary Forco may be capable of performing clorical work or undertaking home service of some kind, and as long aa there is any chance of his being of use he must remain in itha Roservc. Tho tulo laid down for tho guidance of officers engaged in tho administration of the Military Service Act is that 110 Reservist is to be discharged until he has been drawn in a ballot or summoned under the "family shirker" clause. Each man who is called up for service will appear beforo a Medical Board, and will have'tlio opportunity to lodge an appeal with a Military Service Board, on any grounds stated in the Act'. If he can provo then that he is permanently unfit for any service whatever he may bo discharged from,the Reserve. But if the Defence Department can use him in any capacity at all, and desires to do 60, he must serve. Tho clause of tho Act covering this point is very wide, and ompowers the Government to employ conscripts in any work connected with the war, eit'hor within New Zealand or abroad. Tho man who is found to be temporarily unfit may bo sot back for any period, or may bo required to undergo medical treatment at tho expense of the Defence I)partmcnt.