New Zealand.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 305, 3 June 1915, Page 7

New Zealand.

FITNESS OF SOLDIERS. THE QUESTION OF EYESIGHT. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Defence has received a report from the Defence Department on the apparent disparity in the military districts in the percentage of men rejected as medically unfit. Taking the average of examinations since the war commenced they showed about 25 per cent, of men rejected in various districts. As far as the examination of recruits was concerned, there was one standard of set regulations, and the Minister said it was reported to him that this standard had been fairly evenly observed by doctors at all centres. The report states men are not rejectsd merely because they wear spectacles. There are many men in camp now wearing glasses, but the British War Office laid it down that the eye test regulations must be observed in all cases, and no relaxation must be permitted. It was not as severe a test here as Canada and Australia demanded, and ho had been informed that Australia found her test not stringent enough, and was acting accordingly.' UNIVERSITY CONTINGENTS. , Auckland, June 2. The Board of Education considered a proposal iby the Advisory Board of the Training College that each of the four universities should provide a quota of 250 men, maJcing a battalion of one thousand for service with the reinforcements. The chairman (Mr. Garland) expressed the opinion that the time was ripe for a special effort as suggested, and the board unanimously adopted the recommendation. A CORRECTION. Wellington, June 2. • An error occurred in the report of the Hon. Mr. Bell's speech last night in reference to pensions. "What he said was: I do not mean to say that no difference should be made 'between men who have children and men who have none, or tliat no difference should 'he made in the case of a man who 'has been the support of aged parents 1 but when laying down the law it is impossible to discriminate 'between the ipoor and people who arc better oil." LIQUOR IN CAMP. » Wellington, June 2. In the Magistrate's Court to-day George Edward Hanson was charged with taking liquor into Trcntliam Camp, and also with supplying whisky to a member of the fifth reinforcements. He represented himself as a staff-sergeant-major from Dargaville. Inspector Hendry said the camp commandant desired him to point out the serious nature of the offence. Liquor was the probable cause of all the trouble in camp, ft further had a detrimental effect on discipline. If liquor was taken into camp by strangers the regulation concerning visitors would have to be more stringently adhered to. T'ho Magistrate said that if Hanson was a sergeant-major he should have known the regulations. On the first information he imposed a fine of £5 or one month's imprisonment, and on the second a fine of £lO or two months' imprisonment, the terms to be cumulative.

FOR THE FRONT. .MO!IK TARAXAIvI AIEX. 'rim following Taranalu men have volunteered for active service during tin' las!, two days: .'llls. Allan, Kotare. V. illacklmrn, Kutare. ('. fj. Ilalsom, Mimgorci. ■"•. A, I '.irey. .New Plymouth. 11. Cropley, Xew Plymouth. ' L. U. lliiH'ort'.i, "Waitara. S. TTodses, Xew Plymouth. if. X". Jolinson, Xew Plymouth. J. Ktiowli's, Kaliotu. J. Miller, Kotaro. A. K. Alilne, New Plymouth. L. F. Peppercl!, New Plymouth. 0. Piowlands, New Plymouth. '"W. A. Scott, Fitzroy. •i:. IT. Wooller, Xe\v Plymouth. A. A. Wall, J-.ow.er -Maii^orei. ('. K. Julian, Opunake. .1. V. drantleim, Xornianliy. I'', ('. Kclscn, Te lioti. JO. Klmylic, AVaverlev. .1. V. Foster, Upper AYaitotara. .f. iloh.Ti.son, AVavevley. 1,. 11. I'all rev, Anroa. .). Howard. KaUhi. .'. \, Chile, Klilstm. .1. Tiirkinyton, N.unauiby. A. C Xihler, Kaponga. ]'. ,i :■'• "! ill. Ainnaia. W. :l. Slater, Manijamingi. ]?. Ji. Cvavvlai'd, Qpiuiake.

W. Prydc, Mangatoki. H Looney, Opunake. J. Ross, Waverley. E. Gibson, Normanby. ; D. F. Gray, Okaiawa. A. H. Nickel, Mokoia. J. Dawson, Hawera. J. H. Telfer, Mokoia. S; J. Tidswell, Mokoia. W. J. Marsh, MoKoia. N. Tregea, Okanwa. A.- E. Hunter, Haw era. C. C. Burgess, Kakaramca. C. E. Thrupp, Hawera. R. (■',. Patchell, Ohangiti. 11. Br-uncldon, VV'area. A. G. Robertson, Wavcriey. M. Greenway, Waverley. W. Gioige, Waverley. J. P. Naughton, Matapu. W. J. Fisher, Hawera. L. C. Storm, Meremere. R. J. Murphy, Opunake. C. D. Murphy, Opunake. M. J. Sullivan, Te Kiri. F. W. Pennington, Eltham. J. Conaglcu, Pihama. W. A. Boniface, MUiiirst A. H. i!i!i.iii-'.m, 1 uiroa. I. R. Thomson, Huiroa. J. Hamilton, Hurimoana. W. Lawrence, Taini. T. James, Taini. W. G. Bartholomew, Ohakune. (i. A. Kemp, Raurimu. R. H. Thompson, Tauki. C. J. So'uness, Kaupokonui. T. N. Dahl, Kaupokonui. R. E. Gamlin, Kaupokonui.