MILITARY DEFAULTERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 130, 19 February 1918, Page 4

MILITARY DEFAULTERS

THE POSITION REVIEWED. The Minister of Deifence, according to a Dunedin paper, states that up to February 2 last 92,674'- men had been drawn in tlio hi. Hots, of whom 9001 were reckoned as defiiailters—that is, they could not bo i'oitind. Of theso latter 5851 have since) been found, 2497 cases are still under investigation, and many of thei men will ue found, while C 53 warrants are in tho hands of the police. A;- total of 3150 mon, therefore, remain to be found or arrested. Many are found without gazetting, such as tho:fe whose location is discovered by intpviry, who aro secured and sent ito caimp; also, men at sea, in hospital, in jUrisou, deceased, etc. The total imbiber gazetted is 2450, and tlm majoriiiy cf the men have been located. Up ti> date, of the defaulters who have beeii; found, 2509 havo been brought up f<,\i- medical examinations, and the fit men among them have been sent to csamp. Tho following-figures lvuth reference to defaulters who have -been secured explain themselves:—Foutud as result of investigation,- prior tis gazetting, 4351; found as result oii gazetting, 1500; total, 6851. Medictilly examined and sent- to camp, 1029 5 unfit, ]480; already serving, 936; lellt New Zealand, 645; located in New Zealand, including men in hospital, ill prison, deceased, seamen, miners, oft'er-age and under-age men, ond others, .1761; total, 5851. The total number <lf warrants issued to February 2 was 1260, and under these warrants 333 men had been arrested, while 274 wa ['rants were withdrawn, leaving 653 still' outstanding. A comparative return', of the position in September and in; February follows:—• To Sert To Feb., 2917.. 1918. Number of defaulters 5,799> 9,001 Found 2,944- 5,8-51 Under investigation ... 2,560- 2,497 Warrants issued 295t 653