MILITARY SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2948, 7 December 1916, Page 9

MILITARY SERVICE

ACT WILL BE ENFORCED

STATEMENT BY THE ACTING

PRIME MINISTER

"I wish to mako a statement regarding the Military Sorvico Act," said the lion. James Allen (Acting Prime Minister) to a reported yesterday. "This Act was placed upon tho Statuto Book by Parliament last session, and under the Act provision is mado for tho-continuation of tho principle of voluntary enlistment. Voluntary enlistment, however, may bo ended under the Act by a proclamation approved in the Executivo Council. Tlio Act also provides for tho crcation of tho ilcservos and tho calling ,up of men by ballot for Bervice in districts whore the voluntary priuciplo has not provided a sufficient number for any particular Eoinforoement draft. There can bo 210 doubt about the will of Parliament, because the division 011'tho second reading of tho Bill was 49 votes to 5, and tho division on tho third reading, taken in the early hours of tho morning, was 44 to 4. In tho Upper House the Bill was passed without any division at all in the second or third residing. I desire it to bo clearly understood that tho Government intend! to carry out the will of Parliament. The Military Service Act was placed upon the Statii'to Book to enable Now Zealand to fulfil its obligations to the men who are serving at rhe front, and to the Empire and her Allies. It was placed upon the Stetuto Book to enablo us to win tho war and obtain a lasting peaco. The ballot provides the fairest way by which men can bo seleoted to fight for their country in its direct need. All honour to the men who have volunteered, but tho time has come when many men find it difficult to judge whether their turn' has come. The ballot is the fairest process to assist them in deciding. ■ There is 110 discrimination. Itich and poor alike have to come. The only method by which men may be exempted from service is tho method provided by tho Military Service' Act—namely, by notice of appeal to tho Commandant in order that the caso may be heard by tho Military Service Board.

"And not only has the man selected by ballot a right of appeal, but the omployer also has a right to appeal on his employee's behalf, and employers are invited to do this if their industries aro essential. We regard as essential industries those by which aro provided food for the army and the people, or boots and clothiug for tho soldiers, or other commodities which are necossary at this time. Under this heading would com© such workers as miners, slaughtermen, sailors, and firemen. In certain cases men have no regular employer, and they may be so situatedmay bo at sea, for'instance —that they cannot appeal. For these men wo have agreed] that the • secretaries of their unions shall have the right to appeal. I desire to say that I think everybody ought to have the fullest confidence in these boards. Their members are responsible men, and a magistrate is chairman of every board. I am sure that their only object is to administer their portion of tho Act equitably and fairly to all. "This is a time in which unity is strength,'andi I ask for the united effort of all-the people of. New Zealand to assist the Government in carrying out tho provisions of the Military Service Act. It must bo clearly understood that the will of Parliament lias beon undoubtedly expressed, and tho Government are bound to carry out that will, and will do so."