DEFENCE MATTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1737, 12 July 1917, Page 3

DEFENCE MATTERS.

.QUESTIONS BY ME. W.TL FIELD. AND MINISTERIAL REPLIES. Mr W. H. Field asked the Minister of Defence whether he will, without delay, tiring down an amendment of the Military Service Act, 1016, to provide for the right of appeal to a Supreme Court Judge from the decisions of Military Sendee Boards __ on questions of law. [Note. —At W present the Military Service Boards appear to be a law unto themselves, and their decisions in some cases would appear to he contrary to law, and grave injustice.'! are being done and are likely to he done in consequence. J The Hon. Sir James Allen ( Minister of Defence) replied : It is not intended to amend the Alililary Service Act in the direction suggested. I would point out that the Chairman of each ALiiitary Service Board is either an experienced Stipendiary Alagistrate or a -barrister of the Supremo Court, and is therefore well qualified to decide on all questions of law. Air Field asked: (1) 'Whether if is true that at the request of the British' War Cilice all New Zealand soldiers over the age of forty-three years have been recalled from France as until; and, if so, how many such men have been so re-, called.' (2) Whether he has arrived at any definite decision as tojhe service of men over forty-throe years of age in New Zealand, it appearing to ho absurd, and a waste of money, and of the services of useful men in this country, to send such men forward if they are to lie rejected by the Imperial military authorities The Hon. Sir James Allen replied: 1 have no knowledge of any such request from the War Office. During the winter some men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force under forty-five years of age were retained in England. During the summer men up to the age of fony-live years are seal to the Front in France. Air Field asked whether he will set np a Select Committee of the House for I lie purpose of dealing with the loud and numerous complaints being made throughout the length and breadth of the country as to the administration of the Military Service Act, in particular (tie work ut the AJilitary Service Boards, and to report to the House as to the wisdom or otherwise of “skinning" our farms of essential farmers and farm labour without any regard for the efficiency and production for which the Government is crying out, and for consequent private and national loss; and as lo what should and whal ( should not he regarded as essential industries; and as to the uniformity or otherwise of the practice and procedure of the various ALiiitary Service Boards, and the friction said to exist between certain of such Boards or individual members thereof or military representatives thereon on the one hand, and certain Boards of local Inis tees under the National Ellieieucy Boards on the other; and also as to whether there is any good gained by Boards of Trustees going lo I lie trouble and expense of inquiring into the circumstances of Reservists drawn in ballots and reporting to 1 he Alililary Service .Boards if their reports and recommendations arc to be studiously disregarded by such Boards, The Hon. Sir J. Allen replied: it is not considered necessary to set up a Select Committee for (lie-pur-pose suggested. 1 am not aware of the complaints referred to, nor of any friction between the Alililary Service Boards and the National Efficiency .Board, it is not correct to say that appeals by or on behalf of essential fanners or farm labourers arc being determined without any regard for efficiency and production. Every consideration is given by the ALiiitary Service Boards to appeals, and, when necessary, they seek information from the National Efficiency Board.