New Zealand.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 311, 10 June 1915, Page 8

New Zealand.

HANDICAPPING RECRUITS. DISMISSAL BY EMPLOYERS. STATEAIENT BY~MIXISTER FOR DEFENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. „ T Wellington dune 8. • I have heard the statement, but I do not know that it is justified, that some employers are dispensing with the services of men wlio have registered Jieir naixes for service with the expeditionary tones," said the Defence Minis-

ter this evening to a reporter. "I can ! scarcely believe that anv employer world do such a thing. 1 have no doubt what !>i!->bc opinion would be repaying tbe man who was -found to have penalised tie recruit m any way at this time of great national trial but in ease anything of the sort has happened, I want to say. as Minister of Defence, that the man who registers for service is the man who ought to be kept employed until the Defence Department is ready to put lii-m into training. He is the true servant of the 'State and of the Empire; as well as of his employer. It would be intolerable that si?oh a man should; be penalise,! for his patriotism. I am told also that some firms have been makin" a practice of turning away single njen, whether they have enlisted or not, in favor of married, men. An Minister of Defence I am not directly concerned about the man v.-ho has not registered, but for the man who lias registered I would say that it is very improper that any man should be turned out of his billet before the defenee authorities have announced that they are ready to receive him. I ask employers to serve the State by keeping the registered men employed until they are called Into camp. We cannot take all tbe men at once, and we have, undertaken to give them the notice that they renuire before their training begins. In the meantime -we want them to remain in their billets. , HOSPITAL SHIP CONTRIBUTIONS. Wellington, Last Night. Contributions acknowledged by the Internal Affairs Department for the Hospital Ship Fund now total £27,801. AUDITING PATRIOTIC FUNDS. Wellington, Last Night. The Government is asking the various committees which are collecting for the various patriotic funds to have auditors appointed to audit their accounts. The Government, the Minister of F ; nanee states, had no power to insist on th-s being done. It will be impossible for the Audit Department to undertake this work, and the Mininster said to a reporter that hero was an opportunity for the j members of the Society of Accountants to come forward and offer to ''do their littlo bit."