MILITARY SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1928, Page 11

MILITARY SERVICE.

MERITS OF COMPULSION. CONFLICTING OPINIONS. MEETING AT DEVONPORT. Conflicting opinions on the subject of military training were expressed at a public debate at Devonport last evening held under the auspices of the Presbyterian Literary and Debating Society. The question discussed was that the compulsory clauses in the Defence Act should be repealed, and the speakers were Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P., for the affirmative, and Mr. S. Black, M.A., for the negative. There was an attendance of al out 150, and the Rev. W. Lawson Marsh presided. The chairman stressed the fact that the purpose of the debate was not to discuss the rightfulness or wrongfulness of war, and deemed it unwise to take a vote on the question in view of the wide diversity of opinion.

Mr. Lee contended that compulsory service was anti-British. It was imposed only in Australia and New Zealand. He declared that the war to exterminate Prussianism had succeeded so far as it affected Prussia, but it had left Prussianism enthroned in New Zealand. He criticised severely the expenditure of £8,000,000 involved since the compulsory system was introduced to the Dominion, and referred to the detrimental effect that attendance at drill had on the studies of youths.

Mr. Black said the Act aimed at discipline, and its value depended -entirely on its interpretation. He maintained that compulsory service was necessary, and conferred benefit on both the community and' the individual. The New Zealand system was not militaristic in the true sense of the word, and he claimed, it had produced no military class. That class, however, had been produced in the Old Country where compulsion did not obtain.

After a lengthy discussion both speakers were accorded votes of thanks. On Tuesday next a meeting of those favouring the abolition of compulsory military training will be held in the Town Hall, under the auspices of the Auckland Women's branch of the New Zealand Labour party.