MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15767, 7 December 1916, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE ACT.

WILL OF PARLIAMENT TO BE CARRIED OUT. THE PEOPLE'S UNITED EFFORT SOUGHT. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. (r/SESS .ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON. December 6. Discussing tue Military Service Act this afternoon, the Minister of Defence (the Hon. James Alien) expressed the determination of the Government to give effect to th n will of Parliament. "There can," Mr Allen said, "be no doubt about the will of Parliament. The division on the second reading of the Bill was forty-nine votes to five, and the division on the third reading, taken in the early hours of the morning, was forty-four votes to four. In the Upper House the Bill was passed without any division at all on the s 6O " ond or third readings. "I desire it to be clearly understood that the Government intend to carry out the will of Parliament. The Military Service Afct was placed upon the Statute Book to enable New Zealand to .fulfil its obligations to the men who ar e serving at the front, and to tho Empire and her Allies. It was placed upon the Statute Book to enable us to win tho war and obtain a lasting peace. "The ballot provides the fairest way by which men may bo selected to fight for their country in its direst need. All honour to the men who volunteered, but the time has come when many men find it difficult to judge whether their turn has come. The ballot is tho fairest process to assist them in deciding., There is no discrimination — rich and poor aliko have the same chance. The only method by which men, may bo exempted from service is the method provided by the Military Service Act, namely by notice. of appeal to the Commandant, in order that the case may be heard by the Military Service Board. "This is a time in which unity is strength, and I ask for the. united effort of all the people of New Zealand to assist the Government in carrying onfc tho provisions of the Military Servico Act. It must be clearly understood that the will of Parliament has been undoubtedly expressed, and Government are bound to carry out that will, and will do so."