THE DEFAULTERS' GAZETTE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 175, 13 April 1918, Page 8

THE DEFAULTERS' GAZETTE

•LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR'S COMPLAINT. "There jr a matter to which I. wish to draw the .attention of the Government," said the Hon. W. Earnshaw in the Legislative Counoil yesterday. "I have been twice gazetted as a defaulter under the Military Service Act. I mention this matter .because it may be of use to the Minister of Defence. In many circumstances the mistake might have been serious. Last year William Earnshaw, engineer, 41 Bolton Street, was gazetted as a defaulter. I wrote to the Defence Department pointing out that the person they intended to C2II had been doing his duty to the Empire at sea for two years, and was still at sea. I wrote to one of the newspapers. Tho newspaper rang up the Department, and a correction was published. But again this year William Earnshaw was gazetted a defaulter. I cau disregard this sort of thing myself; but the Minister will realise that women do not like to feel that their men are being; posted as defaulters unjustlv. What occurred in this case may have occurred in many other cases."

Sir Francis Bell: "It does occur in some cases. There is an enormous number pf men to be dealt with." Mr. Earnshaw said lie was mentioning his case because the gazetting had occurred twice. The Defence authorities could have made 110 inquiries at all before gazetting William Earnshaw as a deserter.