POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17587, 18 September 1917, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 17. ONLY REMAINING SON.

Mr Isitt inquired of the trimo Min* ister to-night if it was a fact that whero three sons had been taken from one family and ouly one boy was left-, that boy was immune from conscription.

Mr Young: No, not at all.• Dir Isitt: Well, I brought ono case of the kind before Sir James Allen’s notice, and he at onc'o granted that only boy of a mother immunity. Mr Young: He had no power to do it. Dir Massey: Tho matter rests in such cases with the military tribunal, bub J wop Id just like to say that if three sons are taken and only ono left, and ho is called up, in my opinion a mistake would be made by the military tribunal if he is not- exempted. (Hear, hear.) FURTHER AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. About a fortnight ago both the Prime Minister and tho Defence Minister stated in the House that any reservist in sole charge of a farm woitild not ho called up. To-night the member for Wallace, in reminding Mr Massey of his statement, drew his attention to an utterance by tho chairman ojf a Military Appeal Board in Otago that he couicl not take any notico of political statements, but would hav o to administer tho law as it stood. Mr Massey replied that he had heard complaints regarding certain decisions and that before tho end of the session members would havo an opportunity ol further amending the Act.