MILITARY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1917, Page 5

MILITARY SERVICE.

INCREDIBLE COWARDICE. By Telegraph.—P"ess Association. Masterton, i.ast Xiglit. The Military Appeal Boon! dealt with thirty-three cases at Mastertmi to-day. The principal cases were those of five sen* of a farmer named C.i-.nphcll. all of whom objected to service on the ground that they did not believe in killing. One of the sons said he did not like tak'ng the lives of sheep or rabbits. Pressed by a member of the Board as •'o what, he would do if Germans were to attempt to outrage the female members of his family, he s..id he would run away. The Board dismissed (lie appeals of three members of the family, and held oveiJ the appeal-; of the other two for medical examination..

REFUSIXU DUTY. . (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, .Tan. 8. Among the recruits who have entered' camp during the last few days is at least one ''objector," conscientious or otherwise. He might have asserted himself at an earlier stage by refusing to enter camp until compelled to do so. But ho was chosen to answer the mobilisation call, and then, having arrived in camp, he refused all duty. He won't put on a uniform or perform fatigues or obey any orders at all.' ''ln fact, the only thing lie doesn't object to is the Government, grub,' said a disgusted non-com. "He takes his meals all right.'' The Defence authorities have not, provided themselves with machinery for dealing with cases of this kind. ' The camp story is that the objector will be shot at dawn some fine morning, but drastic proceedings of that nature are reserved for the war area. It- is not possible to turn an objector into a soldier if bis resolve not to serve is firm, and the Imperial authorities have recognised that fact in the .United Kingdom by providing arduous tasks of road-making and road-mending for men who won't light. I

WASTING LABOR. Among the recruits who have entered camp during recent months, is a young man trained in the old volunteers and in the territorials as a gunner. He_ is a. keen artilleryman, and during a period of ten years he has devoted a considerable amount of time to training. But the Defence authorities have placed him in the quartermasters' branch, where he handles stores and performs useful duties of a clerical nature. This waste, of a lit and at least partially trained man is an illustration of a certain lack of. method and eommonsense that persists in the military camps. One doubts if the Germans would use their available man-power in such a haphazard 'ashion.