PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2787, 3 June 1916, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

MILITARY SERVICE BILL

COMMITTEE STAGE

The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. D. BUDDO (Kaiapoi) gavo notice of the Waimnkuriri llarlxiur Jiill. Mr. \V. 11. FIELD (Otaki) gave notice to ask tho Minister of Agriculture whether he does not think the time lias now arrived for tho Government to compile a comprehensive work on Now Zealand farming. The War Relief of Soldiers' Dependants Bill (Mr. I'ayne), the Baby Bonus Bill (Mr. Payne), and the Lands Act Amendment Limitation of Area of Holding Bill (Mr. Payne) were introduced and read a £rst tima y TSIILITARY SERVICE BILL. COMMITTEE STAGE, The House went into Committee on the Military Service Bill at 7.30 p.m. The Prime Minister announced that as soon as the short title was passed ho proposed to ask the Committee to report progress. I'lrst the Labour members discussed the general principle of tho Bill. Mr. G. V. l'earce said his chief fear ■about tie Bill was that it rested upon a very insecure basis in the National llegister. The register showed that there were 34,000 men who refused to render to the oountry any service, civil or military. His own inquiries led him to the conclusion that there were 84,000 men who did not sign the register at all. These ivero the worst shirkers. He believed that the census ought to be taken, and he urged the Government to take it without delay in order that information as to the number of men available might bo known. Tho Labour men hadalmoost exhausted the rijjht of speaking—each four times of ten minutes—when at 10.40 p.m. tho memfor kyttelton (Mr. M'C'ombs) moved tliat the chairman do leave the chair. On tliis amendment every member liiid again the right to speak for ten minutes four times. Mr. Hindmarsh spoke twice, and then retired from the contest, having mado his protest against the Bill. From that time onward the talk was continued by Messrs. M'Combs, Webb, Payne, and Walker. The obstruction collapsed at 11.35. The amendment was lost, and tho short title was carried. In the absence of the Speaker, Mr., Malcolm took the chair, when progress was reported. , . The House rose' at 11.37 p.m.