IF CONSCRIPTION COMES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 8

IF CONSCRIPTION COMES.

RECRUITING SCHEME A HE^ VALUE OF THE ROLL OF (Special to '"Star."), Vi "■ Both the Prime Minister and theOlin. ister for Defence have expreued to-yonr ~ correspondent satisfaction at the-report from local recruiting 'comsdtteee tii»t '; they have discovered deficiencies, in: t_.> roll—that there are eligible men.ia=thel r districts whose names are'-notion;the ■ list. 'V '~- '' ; "The perfecting of.these rolls Uihl most valuable work thedo," remarked th e Minister of-.Defence (Hon. James Allen). " In'some. cast) there are deficiencies due to the trinsf-r ' of men from other, districts. want the rolls purified, and the lien wh,) transfer put on the right Toll. That prepares the ground for' compulsion.VVp have all the machinery for compulsion i n our hands if the rolls are properly ; coi_; - pleted. 1 think myself that'there-i_ia solid feeling throughout the country.!, favour of compulsion, but'■ cverybodv--and rightly so—has put aside his opinion ' on that question for' the .time,-, in order > to fall in with the recruiting;',scheino ' . and give the voluntary system its list trial." - " »■ The Minister was asked if theVGor. crnment was getting ready for the intra- ' duction of compulsion, if it was foqnd be needed, by preparing sonje scheme under which indispensable workers would -- be retained in'their industry.' Y\, •'We should, in that event,"-aniwered the Minister, "have to take care that • ' we do not call up men wanted ihisbtte' - essential industry, but to say that thu ' will mean the reorganisation of-mda_trT will be misunderstood.- We;krr ; ln(lt V likely, in view of the English • experience■'•■"'•' to repeat Lord Derby's mistake : ;ofl ci-/ empting classes and selected indnitriMl What w e would do wpuld.be toVtreat ' every individual case on its merits,i anil ! let the Minister of Munitions grant ..tlie ■ exemption permit if necessary,- 'pn-lttis i representation of an employer." V V " '" . This frank discussion of the machinery of compulsion by the Ministernras't'iiot be-taken to indicate that it i*'a foregone conclusion. The Minister-hiißMlf expressed the opinipn that; if - the loctl recruiting committees carried' V bnt' thqr important work in accordance with; tfc lines laid down, Xew Zealand,is sure% the next six months' supply. pf'jne_>ai v least. "And we also -have the' Category B men as a reserve," added MrV ; Alien, ; referring to recruits who upon in a certain order, ■'. leaving to tie last those - with '[ the: greatest dometti.' and other responsibilities. V- :V ':- - .-''• ,^V->