MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15669, 6 June 1916, Page 7

MILITARY SERVICE BILL.

COMMITTEE STAGE THISWEEK, SOME POSSIBLE AiIENDMENTS^f (SPECIAL TO "TUB PRESS.") ' WELLINGTON, Juno 5. The first matter to como beforo t'no> House to-morrow, after formal business! has been exposed of, will bo the Primo'-', Minister'.s motion to tlie effect that for. > tho remainder of the session Govorn-.! mcnt business shall at all times precedence over all other business cx-. cept private Bills and local Bills. Tlio< object of tho motion is to prevent tho 1 continuation of the wivsto of time cu- i, tailed by making spccchcs on tho for-; mal introduction of private members'' Bills. When the decks have been clcared by* passing this motion, tho Coxuniitteo't stago of tho Military Servico Bill wilLf be resumed. The short, title bsen passed on Friday night, tkty. Mouso wiil commence tlie discussion of the details of tlie measure. A number or interesting, if not always praeticablo or wise, suggestions-' for amendments in the Bill were made , in the cotirso of the second reading debate. Tlie first point likely to. arise is that of the definition of "military age," which stands at present at "any ' l ago not less than twenty years aud less than l'orty-six years." Soveral members havo suggested that tho maximum age should be increased, and others have argued that tho minimum ago is too low. On the other liand, it in> known that young men who are not yeti: twenty year's of age havo gone to tho: front, and that many who are older' than forty-five ate accepted. A point that will crop up in the administration of the Act will bo the means to bo taken to i>rcvent evasion of tho Act by falsiv declarations of age. Some youths may, it has been suggested, linger too long at. nineteen and other men may take a sudden jump of years t 0 forty-six. This kind of doceit is not provided against in tho Bill. Along with very many other matters it will bo dealt with t)£ regulations. Tho Government is committed al-' ready to an amendment of tho olauso which includes in tho first division thoae ■-! men who were married after August 4th, 1914. Various opinions are held', as to ti:e grace that should be allowed. ; It is admitted that men who married;; soon after the outbreak of war did not ;. contemplate the possibility of their being called upon for military service, but presently a period was reached when a man who married knew that it was at least possible that his services , would be needed. Tho Houso will havo -i to determine when that period commenced. Tho compromise is likely to Jbo a term of grace of six or eight mouths. Another suggestion made was that single men with two dependents or more—say, a widowed mother and brothers or sisters, for example—should not bo included in the first division. It may even bo suggested that the first division should bo classified. The Bill provides for the classification of division • 2, but not of the first division. There is certain t 0 bo a discussion on tho clauses defining offences under tho Dill, and prescribing penalties. Somo, members will baulk at tho very drastic penal clauses now in the Bill.. A great deal has becu said about exemptions and about tho constitution of the Military Service Boards and a great deal more is sure to bosaid in Committee. . It may ho expccted that tho Committee stago of the Bill will occupy tho/ House at least two ' evenings. Ah speeches in Committee are not reported in "Hansard," it may be regarded as certain that many members will tako a, further opportunity of placing their views on record on tho third residing debate, which will be taken probably oir the day following tho concluding Committee stage, and will occupy at least ono sitting. As far as can be foretold, tho Bill is not likely to bo passed 1 by tho House beforo the end of thoweek.