New Zealand

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 20, 18 December 1916, Page 2

New Zealand

FALSE DECLARATION. FIRST CASE UNDER MILITARY SERVICE ACT. FINE OF £5 AND COSTS. Per Press Association. i .Hamilton, December IS. The brst prosecution for a false declaration under the Military Service Act was heard to-day. A young man who was cohabiting with a woman declared himself in the national registration return to be a married man with one child. Defendant pleaded guilty, am: said his object in falsely declaring was to protect the woman with whom he had been living. He had no desire to shirk, in any case, he was ineligible, owing to blindness in one eye. The Magistrate said the Legislator regarded the offence as very serious, and had he thought the defendant committed the act to avoid liability lor service, he would have seat him to gaol without the option. He felt inclined. however, to believe ins story, and fined him £5 and costs. “UP AGAINST EVERYTHING. Grevraouth, December 15. At the Grev Patriotic Society’s meeting to-day the following motion was carried unanimously: “Inat this society appreciates the steps about to lie taken for carrying out the Act. In commenting on the recruiting question, the chairman (Mr G .E. Perkins) said’those up against conscription were up against everything. It was decided that the motion be forwarded to the Government.