"INDISPENSABLE"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 8, 4 October 1918, Page 4

"INDISPENSABLE"

THE FEILDING APPOINTMENT,

The attention of the Minister of Jus* tico (tlio Hon. T. 51. Wilford) was drawn yesterday to the protest made in Folding against the appointment to the local Court of an exempted reservist. The Department successfully appealed for this man 011 the ground that lie was indispensable, and is now proposing to release liirn from tho staff of tho head office in Wellington and send him to Fcilding to fill <1 position that has been occupied for_ two years by a man ineligiblo for military service. Mr. Wilford stated that he was not responsible for the appointment, and had no say'in the matter. The staff of tho Justice Department was under tho control of the Public Service Commissioner, and the appointment had been made by that officer. The official view is that the Justice Department requires to retain a. certain number of experienced men, and should bo freo to placo them wherever they are' required for Departmental work. It is not admitted that the dispatch of this man to Feilding means that lie lias ceased to be indispensable.

The point may bo settled by a rehearing of tho .appeal by the Military Service Board* Tile reservist was granted sine die exemption on the appeal of tho Department, and it is within the poiver of the board to reopen the casD at any time.