HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8464, 1 June 1916, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, May 31. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Military Service Bii!. In ro-auning the debate on the Military Service Bill, Mr Craigie said ho would support tho measure. Ho deplored tho i'act that youths 18 and it) years of age had gone forward to light; also those men with four and five children, whilst single men who wore really eligible had remained bohind. He supported tho Bill because it tended more towards equality of sacrifice than the present system. j Mr Pe-arce regretted that tho Billhad not been brought forward at tho close of last session. He considered that tho National Registration scheme had been put into operation in a slipshod manner. He quoted figures from tho last census to show that many eligible men were still in tho country. The Bill was a good one and ivould be improved with a few amendments. Mr McCallum supported tho Bill, but stated that he was strongly opposed to any undue development of the military spirit. He considered that infants in the eyes of the law should not !bo conscripted. The age might be ex- ' tended to 55. He complained of the attitude of upstart officers who were unaccustomed to handling men. He would vote against the third reading unless tho effect of the Bill was limited to tho present war. | Mr Isitt said he stood fair and square in favour of the Bill and would support legislation for conscription every time. Moral conscription took 'the best and left the shirker and |" blatherskite" to perpetuate the race. Ho deplored the statement that tho effect of the Bill would be to strangle the liberties of the people, which he stigmatised as "balderdash." He asserted that audiences he addressed in tho South Island embarrassed the speakers by a demand for conscription. The prospect of the Bill being passed i had already had the effect of stimulat- j ing recruiting. Every man who had tho interests of the wives and children at heart should welcome the Bill, bocauso under it, 40,000 single men were available for the year, and probably the war would not last that time. He .pleaded for consideration for the conscientious objectors—tho Quakers—of whom there were but 500 in the country, „ 300 men and 200 women. He would say that rather than see his wife and children violated, he personally would fight and fight all he knew. He could not understand those peoplo holding the views they did, but it was so.

Mr Hindmarsh asked what wero the obligations of the State to young men, and what were the obligations of young men. to the State. Were they mutual? He thought they were. He asked what the Prime Ministei- of the country would do with'the lands of the country ''in tho interests of men coming back from the war. Ho could imagine what would be done. He pleaded that the men who were giving up their lives should be paid properly for their services. By tho commercial [ law of the country, those men were entitled to full compensation, but did I they get it? He referred to the Bill as | a miserable abortion. The real shirkers were not men who wero not going forward to fight, but tho largo men, who would not come forward and say what they would do for the soldiers. The ' large land-owner in every case was in favour of compulsion, but ho did little to assist men going forward. He I hoped that the country would do a,s well by its soldiers as America had done, where every soldier was paid a pension. Mr Hudson said ho would unreservedly support tho Bill. He knew that 90 per cent, of his constituents were also favourable. Tho Bill must prove a consolation to those who had j already enlisted.

Mr Ell said he favoured the Bill. , although ho had been warned it would i cost him his seat. That would not affect him whore duty was involved. Ho then urged tho necessity of reducing the cost of living, also the imposition of additional taxation, ko that lull justice might be done to men who were making the supreme sacrifice. ( The Pension Act ought to be brought i back and given further consideration. ?»fr McCombs said the Bill .was a beLittloment of the pluck a.nd patriotism of the people of tho Dominion. Ho argued that there was no necessity to placo the Bill on tho Statute Book. Ho moved as an amendment that the Bill be read that day three months. Tho amendment was seconded by :'" 1 Walker, who quoted tho Defence Minister's figures to h!iov/ that recruiting had not broken, down. Mr Vigor Brown supported the Bill, but expressed suspicion concerning tho constitution of the proposed Military . Board. Ho also spoke strongly of tho way returned men and their dependents had been treated, which, he contended, hud hecn largely responsible for the falling off in volunteers. Men did not want to right in the trenches for wages. Who woiild think of goinK into tho trenches for wages? (Hear, hear). Men went to fight in tho trenches not for wages but ('or the honour and glory of thn British Empire. (Applause). But they bad looked to the' Government to provide for their dependents if they were, lulled and to treat those who return-ed crippled as such fi.ghto.vf; should bo treatftd. Mr Field (Nolson) termed the Bill as being a compromise between, conserip- j tion and voluntaryism, but ho was c\v- ! tain that after tho war. this Dominion would not tolerate anything in tho shapo of inilitarista. He boiieved in tho principles of tho Bill hut would like to koo some modifications when it readied tho eommitto-o stage.

"My pocplo beliovo thoy will iiofc fi'.'bt finv Iho bfttf"" for bcinc; consrriptcd," dpolnrci Mr Tan Henaro, tpember for tho N^rr^ern ?Jaori elcotoi'alp. Fr« .r-.iid that his people all wero ■ vrillma; To f-orvo. T l H>'r rolo nim was \io win ihe tip;hi r>n br-half of tho Km-, 1 pij-p. His peoplo wire ooncornr-c! about ■fb<-, number of Außtj'iajiß remauiiHEC in j Iho north whiln Maori people's son?; wont lo tho front. The Amendment Defeated. ] Mr McCombs's amenclineut wo,s do- *

I feated by 54 vote;.'; to 5, its supporters ' bohiy; Messrs MoConibs, Hindniarsb, : Walker, Webb, and Payne, while Dr. Timelier and Mr Fletcher both paired ; in favour of the. amendment. i The debate was JKljourned on tho mo- '. tint! 'of .Mr Rhodes (Thames), and the i j House rose at 11.50 p.m. ;