MILITARY SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 143, 17 June 1916, Page 9

MILITARY SERVICE

DEBATE ON SECOND -READING

CONCLUDED IN LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL.

The debate on the second^ reading of the Military Service Bill was concluded in the Legislative Council yesterday.

Continuing his speech after The Post had gone to press yesterday, the Hon. W. Earnshaw, dealing with a circular sent out by the Anti-Conscription League, said there was no language Parliamentary to deal with such "muck" put forward on behalf of Labour. Our Empire was only built by - the sword, and could only be , maintained by the sword. Any working man who opposed the Government in the good work it was striving to undertake—and it was doing amazingly, well^-was an enemy to Labour, an enemy to his country, and he believed that he would soon be forgotten. The Hon. W. F. Wigram, in heartily supporting the Bill, said it was to enable the Government.to fulfil a. pledge given voluntarily some time ago. The Hon. Sir Francis Bell: Hear hear. '

The Hon. Mr. Wigram 'added that' for this reason he endorsed the Bill in every way possible.

Hearty support was also accorded the measure by the Hon. S. Thorne-George, who said that the Bill should have been brought in at the commencement of the war. '

The Hon. A. T. Maginnity said that the placing of the Bill on the Statute Book would have the effect of bringing in waverers, and possibly do away with the necessity of bringing compulsion into force among the youth of this Dominion.

The Hori. _W Beehan slated that as so much notice had. been taken of the Hon. Mr._ Paul's remarks there must be something in them. Presumably he was in favour of the Bill. Experience had shown that the training received by the young men proved there need be no fear of the "weak boys." If they stood the test of the training they would be fit for anything. The Hon. A. Baldey, in supporting the Bill, described it. as the most important that had come under his notice since he had been in the Council.

The Hon. T. Mac Gibbon observed that it was absurd to suggest that there were shirkers. They were mostly produced by anxious mothers. The Bill was a good one in every, way. The Hon. J. Fisher said he intended to vote for the Bill.

In replying, the Hon. Sir Francis Bell referred to the Hon. Mr. Paul's remarks earlier in the debate, and said ho thought it was a bad case, but it had a very good advocate. (Laughter.) It was strange that he should, be..the only man in the Council who was within the ages defined by the Bill. (Laughter.) The other members of.the Council were unaffected by the' Statute. The Hon. Mr. Paul: Is that any reason why I should. not take exception to it?

An honourable member made an interjection which led to the Hon. Mr. Paul warmly retorting: "I'm prepared to make as great a sacrifice as yon for my country. I won't take insults from you or anyone else,"

The Hon.' Sir Francis Bell said hei disagreed from the view that the ' Bill should have been introduced last year. Those who said this in most'cases followed up by saying that they hoped it would never be necessary to bring it into operation. Up to now we had filled our reinforcements, and only now were we afraid of falling short. He therefore felt that now and not earlier was the proper. time to introduce this measure. During the debate he had felt prouder than ever before of being a member, on account of the fairness and ability of the debate. He had listened with real, and sincere pleasure to the speech of his hon. friend Mr. Barr, whose eloquence came from the strength of the convictions he held. (Hear, hear.) His hon. friend Sir William Hall-Jones had seemed to rather avoid the question when he referred to the enormous strength of Britain's Navy and her Allies. The inference was that New Zealand was doing too much; but no measure of our help could be made. The measure was not what we ought to send, but what we could send. (Hear, hear.) That was the measure of what the country wanted to do—its utmost. He would not be a member of a. Government which looked at the question otherwise than from the point of view of doing what it could do, not what it ought to do. The Bill passed its second reading, the only dissentient being the Hon. Mr. Paul, and was committed for next sitting i day.

At 5.17 p.m. the Council adjourned until next Tuesday.