DEFENCE ACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3434, 27 January 1912, Page 11

DEFENCE ACT.

FAILURE TO ATTEND PARADES. TWO YOUTHS FINED. Two youths named John Thomson and 1 Arthur Elliott Wilson, dairymen, charged at the Magistrate’s Court before Mr W. A. Barton, S.M. with that being registered under Part 6 of the Defence Act, 1909. and posted to A. Squadron 9th Mounted Rifles, they did without lawful excuse' fail to attend i parades on January 10th, 17th and iOth, ’ - Thomson said that it wag impossible for him to attend! the parades as he (had business to attend to. He was registered under the Act, and) had failed to attend parades on the dates mentioned. He had cows to milk and had to deliver tlie milk round the town. He was 10 years of age. and had not applied! for leave of _ absence because he did not think of it. Major Evans said that regarding the man not applying for leave, he may I or may not have had a reasonable excuse, but if the men did not let him know he was forced to tlie conclusion that their absence was in defiance of the Act. He did not like to take these steps, but tlie men were given to him to be trained, _ and he was, responsible for their training. The Magistrate pointed out that the regulations provided a penalty in respect to each parade. The least Thomson eeuld- have done was to confer with the officer in charge instead of ignoring the notice. Major Evans_said he would not press for a penalty, .as these were the first cases of the kind, and he would be satisfied if a caution were administered. The Magistrate, in imposing a fine of Is without costs, said lie wished it to be understood that if other cages were brought he would considerably increase tlie penalty. Wilson was dealt with in a similar manner. Major Evans pointed out that the posting of an order on the notice board in the Garrison Hall or the publioatitan of an order in a newspaper was sufficient notice. He had gone further than was required, and had two orders printed and sent to each man.