DEFAULTING RESERVISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1917, Page 4

DEFAULTING RESERVISTS.

AN OFFICIAL RETURN. By Wire.—Our Parliamentary Reporter". Wellington, Last Night. A return was presented to the House of Representatives to-day showing the number of members of the expeditionary force reserve drawn in the ballot, and who, failed to report when ordered; also the action taken in suclTcases up tg; September 27, 1917. The number of cases of reservists transferred by the director of recruiting to the director of~ personal services for disciplinary action was ;")7!)i). The number found and referred back to the director of recruiting as the result of action by the director of personal services was 29,14. The number still under investigation by the director of personal services with the Government statistician, base records, interna! affairs, camps and groups, was 2400. The number of uses in which warrants had been issued and were still in the hadd9 of the police unexecuted was 295.

The first dissection of eases resulted as follow?: Kound as the result op in>; vestigation prior to gazetting, 1985 i found as the result of gazetting, 939. {

The second dissection of eases showed that liio3 had been medically examined) 601 being sent to camp and $42 round to be medically unfit, Already serving, 472. Left New Zealand, 257. Located in New Zealand (in hospital, in prison, deceased, exemptions, seafaring in New Zealand, miners, men who have Voluntarily reported as result of gazetting, volunteers not yet in camp, over age aid under age men), 712. Of the 2560 oases cases remaining under investigation 854 were cases in which investigation had reached to the point gf gazetting; 1706 were under investigation, but had not reached the point of gazetting,

The total warrants issued were <22, arrested 234, warrants withdrawn , 93. The.«e two items are included inytha 2044 found, the balance of warrants still outstanding being 205. Mr. Isitt inquired' whethor attempti would be made at racecourses and linri' ilar places to round up defaulters.

Sir James Allen said the matter had been discussed the day before in Cabinet and the police were taking action. f Mr. T. W. Rhodes asked what stefk were being taken to remedy the Wronft done to a number of lads who were etted as deserted. '■ Mr. Isitt maintained that if the Gov* .eminent could not secure defaulters the# should seize their property. The Prime Minister stated that the 1 Government had the proposal under consideration now. Sir James Allen said that as soon a; possible the widest publicity was giver, to correcting mistakes made. The report was laid on the table and. ordered to be printed.