PROTECTING EX-SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1919, Page 2

PROTECTING EX-SOLDIERS.

AMENDING REGULATIONS, Wellington, Last Night. Some time after the. declaration of wsir it was found necessary to make provision by war regulations protecting men joining the Expeditionary Forces, and those who liad already joined these forces, from undue pressure by creditors. In July, 1916, tlie firs'', regulations on the subject were gazetted, making pro-j vision that a soldier might, not be rested or proceeded against under certain statutes without previous consent of a military authority. When compulsory enlistment became law in 1910 it was found necessary to extend the scope cS. the protection. The position of the men who have been discharged from the Expeditionary Forces more recently and thereby placed' beyond the limits of the protection, demanded consideration. It had been represented to the Government that banks and !• rge trading concerns were in most cases required by their respective con--.'.iUtions to advance only upon unrestricted security to meet such casei. Amending regulations of June 2 have, been gazetted enabling t,ht process to ie VLrsned by that class without tha ■.•onsent of the Attorney-General, where proceedings are to secure the balance of tntd.'ng aecoiuit current. The following classes of soldiers 'and discharged soldiers are protected by the regulations from the process without the consent of the Attorney-General, but only for periods here defined: A soldier who is still a member of the Expeditionary Forces is protected for a period of twelve months from the date of his discharge, but no longer. Tha protection applies in respect of the debts of the soldier con-.| cerned, that is, a discharged soldier who is indebted to the Crown in respect of a loan granted him under the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act or Repatriation Act is protected so long as his debt to the Crown remains unpaid