OUR EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1918, Page 7

OUR EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

EXTENDING PERIOD OF ENLISTMENT. POWER TO GRANT BONUS. " dealing with defaulters. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. In the House to-day, Sir James Allen introduced the Expeditionary Forces Bill, which extends the period of enlistment pf members of the Expeditionary Force to 12 months after the close oE the war, in order to allow for a period of demobilisation. Members of the forces in the time of peace arc- to be subject, until discharged, to military law, Power is taken to provide military hospitals for the treatment of soldiers and discharged soldiers. The Government may pay a bonus to all members of the forces honorably discharged after service overseas. The rate of bonus is to be fixed by Order-in-Council.

Several clauses of the Bill relate to military difficulties. The Minister for Defence is to publish a defaulters' list, containing the names, occupations, and addresses of men who during war—(l) "Have been convicted Ijy courtmartial of any offence indicating in the opinion of the Minister an intention to permanently evade or refuse to fulfil their obligations of military service. (2) Have deserted from the forces with the intention to permanently evade their obligations. (3) Have illegally evaded service in the Expeditionary Force reserve in such circumstances as to indicate the intent permanently to evade military service in the present war. Men -trill not go on the list if the Minister is satisfied the offence was due to bona fide religious objections to military service. Anv man may appeal to a magistrate against inclusion in the defaulters' list. 7f any military defaulter is now absent from New Zealand. lis »"av not return to the Dominion within 10 vears, or a pennlty of 12 months' imprisonment is to be followed by deportation. In anv such' prosecution it shall b" presumed the accused was out of .New Penlnnd nt the na.ssin.cr of the Act, unless the contrary is proved. All military defaulters nre to be deprived of civil rVhts for Ift rear*. Tl, o v may not vote at niv eVction. sif, in Parliament or any local body, or hold any nublie. office or employment. Ci>*>n«es of n*me bv defaulters are prohibited for 10 veara.