TAKING THE OATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1613, 21 September 1916, Page 3

TAKING THE OATH.

NEW ATTESTATION FORMS,

THE POSITION OF RECRUITS

The regulations under .the Military Service Act for the attesting of both voluntary and compulsory recruits have been gazetted.

“Voluntary recruit” means a man who voluntarily enlists in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force; and “compulsory recruit” means a man who is called up for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force under the Military Service Act, 1916. The regulations go on to provide:

Every voluntary recruit shall at the time when he takes the oath of allegiance under the Expeditionary Force Act, 1915, be attested in the presence of an attesting officer. Every compulsory recruit shall, before first being received into a camp of military training, or forthwith thereafter, be attested in the presence of an attesting officer. \ Every compulsory recruit may, if he so desires, take the oath of allegiance and be attested in the same manner as a voluntary recruit. Every compulsory recruit who refuses or fails, when required to do so by any officer under whose command he is, to appear before an attesting officer, and there to answer all questions submitted to him and be attested in accordance, with these regulations shall be guilty of disobedience to the lawful commands of the officer under whose command he so is, and shall be liable under the Army Act accordingly. A voluntary recruit may, on his attestation, indicate in accordance with the form provided the reinforcement draft to which he desires to be attached; but if he is a Reservist belonging to the Ist Division no such indication shall in any manner limit or affect his obligation of immediate military sirvice as a member of the Expeditionary Force, and he shall be liable by virtue of his enlistment to serve at any time and in any reinforcement draft in the same manner as if he had enlisted without any such indication. Nevertheless effect shall be given to any such indication so far as the Commandant thinks consistent with .the public interest. Voluntary recruits on registering and being passed as fit by the doctor are required to take the following oath on and after Monday next: “I, , do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to our Sovereign Lord the King, and that I will faithfully serve in (he New Zealand Expeditionary Force's against His Majesty’s enemies, and that I will loyally observe and obey all orders of the Generals and Officers set over me until 1 shall be lawfully discharged.—So help me God.” Special schedules are attached setting out —(1) The form of attestation of voluntary recruits and of men called up for service under the Military Service Act, 101(5, who are willing to be attested in this manner; and (2) the form of attestation of men called up for service under the Military Service Act, 1916, who are unwilling to be attested in the same manner as voluntary recruits. The former includes the oath given above, while the latter provides no oath at all.