NEW ZEALAND'S PART
Speaking in the House of Representatives this afternoon, the Hon. J. Allen, Minister of Defence, sa-id that as many as 1019 Maoris had left for service at the front, together with 109 Rarotongans and 58 Niue Islanders. The result was that 57,592 men had either gone to the front or were in training. The New Zealand Division consisted of about 20,000 men, in addition to which there were about 1800 mounted men. The country was pledged to keep that number reinforced, and no. one doubted what the result would be. The Military Service Bill allowed the voluntary principle to continue, but it backed "it up with a scheme of national military service, thus ensuring the sending away of the necessary number every four 'weeks. Mr. Allen added that in his own opinion the most just and democratic system would have Been compulsion from the start. It would have been better not only from the military but from the industrial point of view. However, he had put aside his own ideas, and hoped that members would do the same.
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Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 127, 30 May 1916, Page 8
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181NEW ZEALAND'S PART Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 127, 30 May 1916, Page 8
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