UNKNOWN

Taihape Daily Times, 15 March 1918, Page 3

UNKNOWN

PRIVATE "WEBB, M.P., REFUSES TO SERVE. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, March 13. Many of his personal friends had ■hoped that when Mr. P. O. Webb had exhausted every constitutional means to avoid military service, in the interests of Ms constituents, he would have to the inevitable and demonstrate to the world at large disrespect for the laws of the country and his devotion to the cause of the Empire. But the member for Grey has disappointed them. He has written a flamboyant letter to the Minister of Defence : citing all the familiar arguments ror his exemption and declaring his intention to “disobey the the Board and take the consequences.” 'On going into camp at Trentham on Monday he put his threat, into effect by refusing to don khaki and in due course will be tried by a District Court Martial on a charge of refusing to obey an order given by his superior officer. The whole business is very ,deplorable but Mr. Webb has left the authorities with no alternative. MINISTERIAL DOCTORS. Unfortunately official blundering continues to provide some colour of excuse for the people who sympathise with Mr. Webb’s obstinate attitude. A.t a meeting of the executive of tne Second Division last night a reservist attended to state his experiences. The man, according to the official report supplied by the League, suffers from recurrent attacks of malarial fever, contracted while in the tropics some years ago. He was drawn in the first Second Division ballot and on presenting himself to the Medical Board was passed as fit for service in Class A. He applied for re-examina-tion and on again appearing before the same Board was declared as unfit for service and placed in Class C2. But when the case came before the Military Service Board the military representative demanded a third examination and this time the man was classed Cl and ordered to go into the special physical training camp In June. Of course all this tangle has nothing to do with the Minister of Defence, hut this gentleman is now being asked to intervene. THE SHORT SESSION. Ministers, who at first hoped the short session of Parliament to open on April 9 would occupy no more than three weeks at the outside, now are looking forward, with not altogether pleasurable anticipation, to having members in Wellington for at least « month. No serious delay is expected in getting the necessary financial measures through the House, but a number of members have announced their intention to debate the proposal to prolong, the life of Parliament and ■to express their opinions regarding the administration of the Defence De-

I partment. Dr. Thacker has a mandate from two or three public meetings, of varying dimensions and importance, to demand the resignation dt- Sir James Allen and no regard for th'e constitutional position will restrain him from making a deal of noise. But nothing very sensational is likely to happen. WATCH AND WARD. Though the story of two seaplanes having been seen operating in Tas- j man Bay a little while ago obtained little credence from the Defence Department it has stimulated the authorities into renewed watchfulness and thoroughness. One story of the kind invariably leads to another, and now there are quite a number of people who have seen strange sights and heard alarming sounds. These safely may be put down to the perverted spirit of emulation that goes abroad in such circumstances. But a story that has to do with the discovery of a floating mine at a spot far removed from the suspected area seems to rest on a sounder foundation. At any rate,. the naval and military authorities are redoubling their efforts to protect the coasts from such unpleasant visitors and so far there is no reason to doubt they have the menace fully in hand.