MILITARY SERVICE

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17206, 28 June 1916, Page 9

MILITARY SERVICE

BILL BEFORE COUNCIL

CONSIDERATION IN COMMITTEE

• « [Pus Press Assqcution.] WELLINGTON, Juno 27. In tho Legislative Council this afternoon the Military Service Bill, as reported from the Statutes Revision Committee, was considered in committee. MILITARY /GE. On the interpretation clause the Hon W. Earnshaw said he approved of the whole manhood of the nation being at tho disposal of the military authorities, but he did not approve of young men being forced into camp at the age of twenty. There wife no doubt that a number of these young fellows coukl pass any medical examination, but they were not fib physically to go into trench warfare. He moved that the age should be raised to twentyone. Tho Hon Sir Francis Bell said he hoped the Council would not agreo to the amendment, as the ago limit in this Dominion was higher than in any other country which had enacted compulsory service. Allowing for the time required for training, it was a fact that the recruit went into active military life at a minimum age of twenty years and six months. Much time had been spent over the consideration of this matter, and ho trusted tho amendment, would not bo accepted. _ A lino must be drawn, and he maintained the lino they had' adjusted was more than justified by the experience of the nations at war. The Hon Colonel Collins briefly supported the limit proposed in tho Bill, and mentioned that young men under twenty in tho Navy were doing valuable work. On a division the amendment was rejected by 19 to 3. MARRIED MEN. Tho Hon S. Thorne George objected to the provision in a subjection of section 4, providing that mens married after May, 1915, should bo eligible for the first division. He moved that the clause should simply consist of the words “married men with -no chilTho Hon Sir Francis Bell said that the amendment would create an absurdity- Men who had married after May. ‘1915, were fully aware of their liability to their country when they did s - ~ , VI 'i. c The Hon .T. Barr said he did not favour tho amendment. The majority of the men affected by the .clause were, without doubt, sheltering behind petticoats. , The amendment was lost on tno voices.

REMOVAL OF UNDESIRABLES. Section 6A, a new clause, giving the Commandant power to discharge undesirables from the reserve, was objected to by the Hon G. Carson, who failed to see why the Commandant should be given this power. ; _ „ , . . The Hon Sir Francis Bell explained that this was a military matter, and the Commandant was the man who should exercise the powpr. The object w is to clear the nil 1 before the ballot. It was in real!tv a machinery clause. Me confessed lie* was not altogether satisfied with the clause, but he had no« been able to deviso anything more satisfactory. Tho clause was passed. THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR, At Clause 12 the Hon J T- Paul proposed a proviso to tho effect that no man having been punished for tailing to enrol should be handed over to tlw mditary authorities for lorcign service. He had no confidence m the justice of courts-martial- ' A Member: You would take the king-bolt out of conscription. Mr Paul: Nothing of tho sort. He was making an effort on behalf of tne conscientious objector. He had inMas mind tho class of objector who would risk his life rather than give way ou a matter of conscience. Ho argucu that these men'could not be expectet. to make useful soldiers, and the State should not ho vindictive Punishment bv the civil law should be sufficient * The Hon Sir Francis JBell said that if Mr Paul’s objection was a. valid one, that is that we had no right to send out of the country a man "ho conscientiously objected to service abroad, th<m it seemed to the speaker that we had no right to send him to prison. 1 The Hon J. T. Paul held that some attempt should he made to meet the genuine conscientious objcctoi. thow men would not make good sold.us. They would only make a hindrance The Hon A. Baldcy thought it would not be advisable to open the door to the conscientious objectoi. otherwise all the shirkers in the country would be'found taking advantage ot lt " T he Hon J. Ban- said ho could not support the addition to tho clause as bciii"- a whole-hearted .supporter of the Bill, 0 he could not agree to the door being opened. . Tbo amendment was rejcci-ect. Section 18, dealing with appeals and the religious objector, was postponed.

APPEALS. Section 30a, providing for the constitution of a fmal appeal board, reads:— “ (1) The Governor 'may, if he thinks fit, constitute and establish . bv regulations under tills Act, a hoard, to be called the Final Appeal Hoard, to consist of such number of persons as the Governor determines, to he appointed hv him and to hold office during his pleasure. (2) (a) The Final Appeal Board, if constituted and established, may hear and determine appeals from Military Service Boards, but only m such classes of cases and subject to SU ch limitations and conditions and in such manner as shall from time to time be prescribed by regulations, (b) The determination of a Military Service Board in any case hi wlpHi a further appeal to the Final Appeal Board is permitted, and is duly lodged and prosecuted, shall be suspended in its effect, pending the decision cm such further apnea 1 by the Final Appeal Board, and the decision of the Final Appeal Board shall for all purposes of this Act take off dot- in lieu of the determination of the Military Service Board appealed from. “ (3) (a) If a Final Appeal Board is constituted and established, the Minister of Defence or any Military Service Board may from time to time refer to the Final Appeal Board for determination any question, whether of interpretation of administration or of procedure which may arise under such of the provisions of this Act as relate to exemptions or discharges from the Reserve or to appeals to Military Service Boards, (b) Any such question may be so referred, whether it ho of general or of particular application, and whether it has or has not arisen for decision in any appeal to a Military Service Board, (c) The determination of the Final Appeal Board in every such question shall be notified to the Military Service Boards, and every Military Service Board shall bo bound by such determination in all appeals wh’cli may thereafter be heard by it. unless or until tlve Final Appeal Board, upon further reference by the Minister of Defence or by a Military Service Board, shall fas it is hereby empowered to do) vary or alter such determination. “ (4) (a) If the Final Appeal Board is constituted and established, any Military Service Board may, subject . to prescribed conditions and limita-

tions, refer the- whole or any part of the subject matter of any appeal (whether such matter bo of law or of fact) to tho Final Appeal Board for decision. (b) The decision of tho Final Appeal Board upon any matter so referred shall have effect ns if it had been the decision of the Military Service'Board by which such matter was referred.”

Tho Hon Sir Francis Beil said that the clause was largely duo to the suggestion of tho Hon J. T. Paul. , The Hen J. Barr objected to the new clause, as power was largely left in tho hands, of the Governor. It was left to the powers that be to put the clauso in operation if they think fit. Ho did not believe in government by regulation. If the right of appeal was desirable let them provide the necessary provisions. Tho Hon Sir Francis Bell said ho sympathised with the Hon J. Barr s criticism of the hypothetical nature of this proposed legislation, but he desired to remind members that much of our legislation was necessarily new and experimental. If it was fouwTAhat the work of the Military Service Heard was unsatisfactory,. then power was given to establish a Final Appeal Board: The Hon J. Carson said that the Military Service Board in one district might exempt clergymen, whilst anothcr might compel them to servo, thus showing the necessity for a final apOn a division the clause was retained by 18 to 4. , New clause. 34a, nature of work to bo required from persons exempted from military service, was postponed, and the remainder of the clauses wore passed. Clause 42 originally provided for the arrest without warrant by any constable. This was altered to “ deta’ned by anv constable and brought before iC justice of the pence, to be dedt with according to law.” Progress was renorted on the Bill, which was ordered to be mode first order of the day for'Wednesday.