TROUBLE WITH JUGO-SLAVS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 7

TROUBLE WITH JUGO-SLAVS

DALMATIAN SENT TO PRISON. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Auckland, February 28. "This is one of a series of charges to como against about 80 Jugo Slavs who liavo absolutely refused to obey tlie notices to Teport for national service," declared Mr. Sehvyn Mays, in conducting tlie prosecution against a Dalmatian named Nicholas Erceg, brought before Mr. Wilson, S.M., to-day, on a charge of having refused to do national service. Mr. Mays said that Erceg kept a small shop and was. one of five brothers, none of whom had done any national service.. This man had been sent a notice .early in December to proceed to drainage works. He did not go and made no communication witli the Commissioner. Mr. Mays added that some time ago several .Tugo Slavs were prosecuted aud imprisoned, and after that there was less, difficulty with them, but recently there had been another outbreak of trouble, accompanied by insolence and "by various stratagems, to evade national service., Tho defendant 6tated that he had, long ago written to tho Government declaring his desire to help to win the war. Mr. Mays: Yes, they will do anything except fight or work. The defendant was sentenced to three ; months' imprisonment.

A policy matter of considerable impnrtnince to returned soldiers cropped lip at a- meeting of. the Repatriation Board in Christchurch, when Mr. B. ,T. Howard raised tho question of tho board's responsibility for'obtaining employment for soldiers. M>r. Howard claimed that it was no duty of'tho board to ilictalo lo a. soldier whether or not ho should talco up any particular kind of employmont, and that it should■•■be sufficient for tho soldier to say that he'desired to lake up any kind of work, and ii: itvis then tho boimdeii duty of tho 'board to assist him lo do so. Mr. H. S. Goodman opposed this point of view nil claimed Mint tlio board had a. responsibility in advising tlio soldier as to whether or not it was desirable for hint to seek iv. certain fiveime of employment. Cases would arho in which the board was convinced that a soldier would, through various reasons, not make a success of.a particular tirado'or calling, and tho (board's duty then was to diijsuado tho soldier and to refuso to recommend him for tho loan cf <£50 which ordinarily ho might claim. If the soldier were to follow ti ceiling contrary to tlio advico of the board he would placo himself in an awkward position, fere ho would ,not be itllotml lo approach them again. In opposing this view Mr. Howard stated that Iho hoard should pot bo in ajios.i- i iion lo ,sn,v whelhor or jio'o « particular occupation was desirable. If .a. soldier warred cer'ain work he ilipuld be.alioir■nl to have it, : i