NATIONAL SERVICE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6301, 30 September 1915, Page 4

NATIONAL SERVICE.

Question in the House of

Commons.

Kec Sept 29, 2.30 p.m.

London, Sept 20

In the House of Commons, Captain Guest, Liberal"Member ior East Dorset, invited Mr Asquith (Premier) to make a statement in regard to national service.

Mr Asquith eaid: 4iThe subject is receiving careful and most anxious consideration, aud the Government will announce their policy at the earliest moment. Meantime I appeal to members of the Hou?e of Commons to abstain from raising the subject. We are in a vnry critical moment in the history of the war. We are watching with intense sympathy and hope the gallant efforts of the Allied forces. We could not do a greater disservice to Britain and the Allied cause at such a moment than a suggestion that there is a division of opinion here." Later, Captain Guest reverted to the subject. He said he realized the grave responsibility of disobeying Mr Asquith's request. This was the time to do what was right, irrespective of pressure from whatever source. Conscription would hearten the Allies, have a steadying effect on Bulgaria, and strengthen the attitude of Greccie. ; ConscNptiori could not be urged if the Government could guarantee twenty thousand recruits weekly, but unless that number was gaarantceable the Government ought not to d:lay the adoption of a schema which will guarantee recruits. Sir C. Henry (Liberal Member for Mid-Shropshiia), Mr J. A. Pease (Liberal Member for Rotherham) and Mr W. Pringle (Liberal Member for N.W. Lanark) deplored the discussion. They appealed for silence until the Government arrived at a decision, Mr Stanley Wilson, Unionist Member for Holderness, said he did not think voluntaryism could replace the casual-