THE FIRST DIVISION.

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 September 1917, Page 3

THE FIRST DIVISION.

- ■-»®*' REMNANT BILL, [By Electrio Telegruph—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, This Day. One clause of the amending .Military Service Act. enabling the Gn\eriunent Statistician to take all the remaining members of the First Division—about 9000—without a liallot, was introduced as an urgent men-sure and put through the House last night. "Does it reallv clear up the first Division'.'" asked Dr Newman. "I understand there is a strong feeling abroad that if the Minister thoroughly combs out the country he will find a large number of men not on the roll." Sir James Allen replied that, as far as .he could judge from the Government Statistician, this was not so. There were a certain number whom the authorities had not got hold of hut they were less than 4000. and were enrolled. Dr Newman: That's a. big number.

Sir James Allen: They arc being cleared up every week'. -, Mr Wilford urged the Minister to prevent young men of military age coming from outside New /'ealand to take the positions of the men at the front. Members of the Second Division were also concerned about it. Sir James Alien replied (hat if any young man of military age came to New Zealand and became domiciled be would be taken into the force. Australian shearers were allowed to remain three or four months, when their p;isspoits would have to be renewed or they would have to return to Australia or be entered as reservists. It was all a, question of domicile. He would not define the term. Mr Parr suggested that married men who bad deserted their families ought to be called up before others in the, Second Division. Mr Buick protested against too many vonng fellows being allowed to remain.

He had overheard a conversation between two strapping fellows, one of whom declared : "I'm not going." He then explained to his companion that lie had d< id cod service by the aid of a friendly ehemist, „who had told him how much strychnine to take to affect bis heart during medical examination. This man got off. Mr Ffindmarsh alleged that wealthy men could always gel- a doctor who could discover something wrong. Doctors, like lawyers and kind valuers, came quite honesflv to diverse views. Sir .'James Allen replied that he was keener than anyone about rounding up defaulters. The whole business was in the, liiftids of Major Lilley director of pernomd services, who had- discovered many men and sent them to camp.