ALLEGED SHIRKERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1917, Page 2

ALLEGED SHIRKERS.

SOUTHLAND DESR STALKERS. "If the honorable gentleman will supply the names, I shall be pleased to give him an answer," was the printed reply circulated by tha Minister for Defence (the Hon. Sir James Allen), on Friday, to a question by Mr. J. O. Thomson, M.P. for Wallace, as to whether he had read the following paragraph in the Southland Daily News of September 1, 1917; and, if not, would he have, inquiries made regarding the matter: "There is great grumbling at the manner of treating somo people in conscription. Take, for example, the sons of two of the wealthiest men in Clutha. So far both have escaped service. In Tuapeka a wealthy family with six sons has es-1 caped service entirely, although one grandson has gone. Early in, the year the two youngest sons were called up, but they evaded service for some time on various excuses and went deer-stalking. Both sons were trained in Wellington, came home on final leave, and returned to duty. Now the younger son, a strong, able fellow, is home, and it is reported that he is discharged from the service. Both these men were deer-stalkers, and were good shots and climbers. They' also played cricket all summer when not working on their farms, and were never sick or .sorry until it came to serving their country. The people want to know why these sons of wealthy men can evade service when wage-earners, who in many cases have parents to keep, ars taken."