SPREADING THE NET.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1917, Page 6

SPREADING THE NET.

TO CATCH SHIRKERS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, May 3. The officers in chaise of the Recruiting Branch have spread their net very wide, but tliey have reason to believe that there are in New Zealand still a few men who are ovading registration and sefvice. Some of these men have failed to register as members of the Expeditionary Force Reserve; ethers have been drawn in the ballot and have failed to report themselves to the authorities. The search for these missing reservists is proceeding all the time and their number is being reduced gradually, but the recruiting officers would be glad to have the assistance of the general public in completing the work.

If a man lias been drawn in the ballot and is evading the call, some of his acquaintances are likely to be aware of the fact. Such a man may l;avc changed his address and by this means avoided receiving the official notice sent to his original address through the Post Office; then he may shelter himself behind a statement that the Defence Departme-ni has not communicated with him and thit, he will come \yhen he is "sent is the duty of this man to report himself to the nearest Defence Office. Tf he prefers to keep out of sight, then the Dirertor of Recruiting will be glad to receive the name and address from any person who is aware of the facts.

A suspicion that a man is not enrolled as a reservist and so is the chances of the ballot can be tested easily enough. A person wanting assurance on a point of this kind can submit the namo and address of the man concerned to the recruiting authorities or the (lovernment Statistician, and the point will be cleaned up without delay. The Recruiting Branch is always ready to set the necessary inquiry in motion. Tin wish and the purpose of the branch, is to account for every man of military age in New Zealand.

Rumors regarding the attempts of this man or that man to "shirk" are circulated in almost every part of New Zealand. The stories often are very unjust to the men concerned and thencirculation is to be deprecated strongly. It is impossible for outsiders to know the inner facts of many cases, .particularly where men have been rejected by the' Medical Boards. T:ie proper eourso is to submit any reasonable suspicion to the Recruiting Branch and leave it at that.