AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Taihape Daily Times, 21 November 1917, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

TO GET AT SHIRKERS.

AN AUSTRALIAN REGULATION.

SYDNEY, Nov 7,

Th regulation passed the other day by the Federal Executive Council under the War Precautions Act requiring military eligibles from New Zealand to return to New Zealand when called upon to do so by a competent naval or military authority capped a slight flutter among New Zealanders residing in Australia, and, owing to the purpose and application 0 f the regulation not being made quite clear in the there have been many enquiries as to what it all means.

It appears that the regulation is not framed to affect New Zealanders who have ileft the Dominion in a legitimate way and have been residing in Australia long enough to gain s the Australian franchise and citizenship. Its purp o se is to catch men who have left the country either without a permit or with a permit, but under a bond to return. ; ;!

There are a very considerable number of such men in Australia, who, finding themselves beyond the jurisdiction of New Zealand, are openly defiant of New Zealand’s claim upon them. Some have even gone! the length of informing the New Zealand agents in Australia of their and of their intention to remain here, and have given themselves the satisfaction of jeering at the representatives of their country. The New Zealand authorities, after lengthy negotiation with the Australian ■ Government, have n o w placed themselves in a position to deal drastically with such offenders ■ ” ;

There is an astonishingly large number of New Zealanders in Australia, and particularly in New South "Wales. Many of feeling in honour bound to support their well-loved country have gone to New Zealand and joined up. A considerably larger number have enlisted in Australia; that is shown by the remarkable frequency with- which New Zealand is given as the home address of men mentioned in Australian casualty lists. It is’ probable that if an examination were made of the New Zealanders legitimately in Australia, few shirkers would be found. But if New Zealand calls up the married classes, the position in Australia will alter. Of the very many married New Zealanders in Australia, few will volunteer s 0 long as they see that their Australian contemporaries are hot obliged to serve.