Last Saturday the Local Government Board issued instruc- tions for
the creation of the local tribunals under Lord Derby's recruiting scheme. The chief duty of the tribunals will be to decide whether men of military ago shell be excused service on the ground that their work is indispensable to the nation or for private reasons. A tribunal will consist ordinarily of five persons to be appointed by the local elected authority. A man may appeal to be put back to a later group than that in which his name appears—that is, to have the date of his calling up postponed —by filling up a form. The tribunal will send the appeal to the military representative in the area, who will have the assistance of an Advisory Committee. If the military representative grants the appeal, the matter is there and then decided. If further investigation is necessary, the case will come before the tribunal, who will hear the military representative and the claimant and any necessary witnesses. A man who claims postponement of service cannot be put back more than ten groups on any one application. Of course it will be necessary to settle claims very quickly. A regular Law Court trial cannot be expected.
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