MILITARY TRAINING

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1921, Page 4

MILITARY TRAINING

EXEMPTION REFUSED TO COLLEGE STUDENTS. AUCKLAND, February 16. About fifty applications for exemption from military drill, the majority from students attending evening engineering classes, came before Mr Poynton, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Only two of the applications were granted. Lieutenant Judson V.C., appeared for the Defence Department, which opposed the applications. Lieutenant Judson said the Department would make the same arrangements in the case of students attending evening classes as bad been made for University students. Attendance at such classes should not interfere with parades. The applications by the students were re.ftised. , The attitude of the Defence Department regarding the military training of University students and youths atending evening classes at other colleges was explained by Major Walling-,

ford. He said these young people were , the coming brains of the country, and J in the war they had proved to be 1 leaders, a great number of ex-college j students having held commission:' in the | groat war. At present some of j the students wanted to obtain exemption. from military training j owing to their studies. The | Department was opposed to that, and was not going to grant exemptions to

college students and compel only j boys who were in poorer circumstances to drill. The Auckland Defence Office was willing to meet students at any time, and if they liked they could do their drill at any hour convenient to them, provided they put in 50 hours a

year. They could do ■">(.) hours in their "long vacation, if they desired, ft did not matter when they did then- training, but they would have to comply with the terms of the .Military Service Act. the same as other sections of the community had to do.