58725-1918-Supplementary-The-General-Military-Service-Bill-as-amended-in-Committee — Page 6

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FORM NO. [2].

General Military Service Ordinance, 1918.

Ordinance No.

of 1918.

s. [9] (1). 3

10

The following persons shall, as from the date of publication of

this List, be deemed to have been enrolled in, and to belong to, the

General Military Service Force of Hongkong :-

*

*

*

Dated the..

..day of...

1918.

By Order,

Colonial Secretary.

Objects and Reasons.

1. The object of this bill is to raise a force of men for service with His Majesty's Forces outside the Colony during the present war, in order to supplement the numbers of those who have already left the Colony for that purpose.

2. With certain exceptions, which are specified in clause 3 (1), the liability to enrolment in this force will extend to all male British subjects who have not attained the age of forty-one years at the date of the commencement of this Ordinance, and who have attained, or may hereafter attain, the age of eighteen years. It is, however, at present intended to enrol only persons who are of pure European descent and who are fit for general military service.

3. Subject to the exceptions referred to in the preceding paragraph, it is intended that the case of every male Bri- tish subject between the specified ages shall be considered with a view to his enrolment. This applies to civil ser- vants as well as to the other members of the community, but in the case of civil servants the procedure will be different.

4. The force will be known as the General Military Service Foree of Hongkong, and the members of it will be liable to service with His Majesty's Forces outside the Colony, and will be subject to the Army Act wherever serving. This liability to service will continue for the duration of the present war.

5. The first step in the procedure leading up to curol- ment is a medical examination which is provided for in clause 11 of the bill.

6. The next step is an order, issued by the proper autho- rity, directing the British subject in question to appear before the tribunal. This tribunal, which will as far as possible be representative of the community and which will contain a commercial majority, will, subject to the appeal referred to below, be the sole judge as to whether the British subject in question should be enrolled or should be exempted. The grounds of exemption, which are stated in clause 5 (4), are based on those laid down in the Mili- tary Service Act, 1916, 5 and 6, Geo. 5, c. 104, s. 2 (1). It will be seen from this sub-clause and from clause 5 (5) that the only grounds on which an absolute exemption may be granted are :—

()the ground of Imperial interests: and

(b) the ground of the essential interests of the

Colony.