MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 147, 24 June 1916, Page 4

MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Su.vj.il. j .Ur UK i .i .\

ivuTl'lOiN'S.

BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

WELLINGTON, June 23. The Military Service Bill was reported to the Legislative Council to-day by the Statutes Revision Committee with, important alterations. Tiie definition ol those included in. the Reserve is slightly altered to malce i! . liable for further service those- :dis*.iJ charged from the forces, except those ' discharged for disablement or for'ill-.-health. Provision' is miidfe for' ehdofkti- ■ ment oil the Register-of the-iact th-afe v a man has volunteered, and, has -aasb.-.i been accepted for. service. The exclusion of aliens, and men of alien origin,' from the forces, is provided for in the following new clause; “If the commandant determine? upqn. evidence satis- ‘ factory to him, 1 that cither of the parents of any reservist is; or at any time i was, by birth or- naturalisation, or otherwise, subject of an enemy nation, or that such reservist, or either of Ills parents, is. or was. at any time employed in the service of an enemy nation, the commandant may, if ha thinks fit, discharge him from the Reserve. Every reservist who, without reasonable cause, fails to submit himself for medical examination when required,, shall be liable to a fine of £lO, or three months’ imprisonment. The applicability of the First Offenders’ Probation ' Act to men guilty of desertion was. struck out. Provision for religious objectors is made by the insertion of the following new ground for appeal for exemption from military service: “That he was on August -Ith. 1914. aud has since continuously been, a member of a religious body, the tenets and doctrines of which religious body declare the bearing of arms and the performance of any military service to be contrary to Divine revelation, and also that, according to his own conscientious reli- ■' gious belief, the bearing of arms and the performance of any military service is unlawful by reason of being contrary to Divine revelations’’; but “a Military Service Board shall not allow any ap- . peal on this ground unless the appellant shall signify his willingness to perform k such non-military work or services irt q" New Zealand as may be required of U him, at such rate of payment as may be prescribed.” Another new clause provides for 3 Final Appeal Board, which will havepower to deal with appeals from Military Service Boards. W hen the Final Appeal Board lias arrived at us determination. it is to notify the -Military Service Board, aud all the Boarus will be bound by such determination in all appeals heard afterwards*, undess on until the Final Appeal Board, upon further reference by the Minister of Defence. or by a Military Service- Board* alters or varies us determination. In the event of a Final Appeal Board being constituted, any Military Service Board may, subject to certain condi- ~' lions and limitations, refer the whole or any part of the subject-matter ol* any appeal to the Final Appeal BoardAn important alteration has been made to the clause giving a constable power to arrest without warrant any man who T, pU to answer satisfactorily any question put to him by such constable. ine vurdo "may be arrested without warrant" have been deleted, and the following inserted instead: “ May be detained by a constable, and brought before a Justice of the Peace to be dealt with according to law.” The minimum penalties of a month’s imprisonment, or £lO fine for failure to apply for registration in (if not enrolled) are withdßßrn, find! the penalties made “not exceeding three montlis, and not exceeding £50.” The work and pay to lie required oiT * men exempted from -military service shall be proscribed by regulation, and l persons refusing to do such work shall 5 be liable to 12 months’ imprisonment-, or £IOO fine. Amendments will be considered by - the Council on Tuesday.