FINES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

Thames Star, Volume LII, Issue 13936, 15 July 1919, Page 2

FINES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

WELLINGTON, mis Day A speoial Com* of Inquiry was reoein;tly iset up by 'the JDedeinctet Departmieiniti to oraisiideir a^plioaitiionis for renuifisiioin; of fines and foaieditiuu'eßi inouafed uindeif Seotiioiui 46 of tihe Army Act, Tha retasoia foa- this aiabion. i-o illialti it is' considered by tihe aiuithoriiaes omly fair to soldiefs wlio h,o.ve giiven good service in. thef fieild. and haive oleajrfed their iieiootrd, that the moneftaa-y pe-naitieis inoudTed kii order >to entfoiicfe dlisciplinei during acit.ive seavioei and ta^aatninig should jiiow be refuaiided. Under the etresis of wut obligations, men cam© from oiivil life, } and were rapidly -trajraed to' miliitery 1 duitsies. It was essenjtifa.l-; 'to seciua*© ai high; leiveil >of miEtaiy dfificipline, &nd I&h<s liJad oftteni to be em£oirced! by the ipundshimeinit. of a forfeiture otf pay. | Exasminiattaoini of tho records of puaij iisihinienft shows thait the Now Zetaiiaind, ! soldier wais notl prone to seiriow oifI fence®. . Absence without leare for j short peiriods, and minor miliitoy {offenceia which ite&dcd. to impair good , cCscdipline eomprisr^is' ithe bulk of the ! delimqujencceis. These* offences had to be checked, sa ais noit. to imipair the effl.iciiiency of thei whole force, but notw the timo. of 'stresjs is over the authorities cam take aweasdieir view of of thoKsitTJiaitiota, and the .resiiilt'will b© (tlhei remission! of a large number of forfeiitumesi of pay. Hundreds. of apiptioations for 1 reimipsaons h'.i^e sirteiady been reoeivted by the Diatcrf^r of Base Reooi-dsi, and the Court of Inquiry has laid down importlain.t geneirtal ipirtinwiipleis! on Which ait; will Hakn acltion;. It will deolinei to."- niniLsigiicwiis far siucih) sea*iiO(us offences a-s thei followinlg!: Desertioni, insmbard'iinate to am.' officieir, self-infliicifiGd wooDnds, tJieifti, utteirinif/ forged dooumenitia, or aibsenci& from diuitiy during acition). Cbneideraitiioihl of appiioaitiion® for remiissibms will bo given for orddhicvy offenicea oinly-iin caseis v.-here the Rioi- , dieir has a clean* reoonfd of six months., wheiie he ha^ beenj promoted! on tihe field, or where he has received ani awaind 1 or deconaitdonl. J The deciisioni of tho Coua* is coimr munliicia!ted toi the soldiei* coaceimed, and aim to the Officer in Charge of War Expenses, who will make the neceiasiairy adTustimeint of the piay accounjt.