NEW ZEALANDERS AWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1918, Page 2

NEW ZEALANDERS AWAY.

LIABILITY TOR MILITARY SERVICE IMPORTANT STATE MIST by hgn. G. W. RUSSELL. A CASE IN POINT. In a. recent interview, the Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister for Internal Affairs), referred to a matter which is of 'great public interest, dealing as it does with the question of conscription of British subjects residing in certain Allied countries. On Wednesday the Minister mantiowtf to a Times representative that a case had come under his notice of a young inan, a former resident of Christckurchv and at present residing at St. Louia, U.S.A., who had proceeded to America for the purpose of a college course, and. also to gain certain business experience. Having completed Tils course, he was. desirous of returning to New 'Zealand. lj>it meanwhile he had been drawn in.' thofirst alien draft under the United States military law. _ "Briefly," said Mr. JtoseJl, "the position is as follows: The Imperial Government recently passed an Act entitled the Military Service (Conventions with Allied States) Act, 1917, wherein, among other things, provision is made to enable His Majcsty-in-Council to carry into effect conventions which may "be made with Allied and other States as to the mutual liabil'iy of His Majesty's subjects and subjects of the Allied and other States to military service. "It is provided in the Act that His Majesty, by Order-in-Couneil, may direct regarding the carrying out of the provision? of conventions made with another country, provided that no such Order-in-Cc-uncil shall be made unless the convention secures to His Majesty's Ambassador or other public Minister in the contracting country power to grant to British subjects in that country exemption from military service, and stick Ambassador or Minister shall 'grant such exemption in any case where a British subject proves that he is not domiciled in the contracting country, and that before proceeding to the contracting country he was ordinarily resident in some part of His Majesty's Dominions other than Great Britain. "Advice has been received that agreements have been entered into on the subject between the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Russia, and a cablegram appeared recently in the press indicating that an agreement has been mado wtih the United States. So far, however, official advice has nut been received respecting this agreement. "Provision is made in each of the agreements that if the persons liable to service refuse, after due notice, to return to their own country, they will be compelled to undertake military service in the country of their residence, unless they can furnish documents delivered by the diplomatic or Consular authorities certifying that exemption from military service. "It is suggested that those interested should, if in any doubt as to th" legal responsibilities, communicate with the .British Ambassador in tlie country in which, they are at present residing."