SOLDIERS AND HONOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16338, 19 September 1916, Page 9

SOLDIERS AND HONOURS

"WENTS" AND THE "SENTS."

THE MEN OF MOUNT EDEN.

NO DISTINCTION TO BE MADE.

It was decided by the Mount Eden Borough Council some time ago that a roll of honour, containing tho names of men resident in the borough who had served at the front, should be provided. At last night's meeting of the council Mr. J. Davis moved a motion to the effect that the council affirm the principle that the name of no conscripted soldier should appear upon this roll of honour.

Mr. Davis, in moving the motion, said he thought, now that conscription was about to be adopted, that tho council should let it be known that the name of no soldier who was conscripted would appear upon Mount Eden's roll of honour. The Mayor, Mr. O. Nicholson, seconded the motion. A roll of honour, he said, if it was to bo of any value, should be a roll of the names of those who had volunteered.

Mr, R. D. Stewart: Supposing a man who -goes as a conscript does a deed of valour ?

The Mayor: There should be a special roll of honour for such men.

. Mr. C. Hudson strongly opposed the motion. To do what was proposed, he said, would cast a slur upon the Act that had just been passed and the men who went away under it. Some of theso men might win the Victoria Cross and yet, because they went to the war under the compulsory system, it was suggested that they were unworthy of a place on the roll of honour. "I hope," he added, "that tho council will reject tho motion. It would be a disgrace to pass it." Mr. J. W. Shackelford said that he thought it would have been wise to allow this matter to remain in abeyance for the present. It would be unwise to pass such a motion at present. He honoured th men who had gone to the front as volunteers, but many of the men who would go under the compulsory system had felt that, owing to the peculiar methods adopted by the Government in connection with some aspects of the voluntary system, they were justified in standing aside until some fair and equitable method was adopted. Many of these men would be as loval and good as those who already had gone. Mr. ]•;. "Yates: What about youths who arc only 19 years of age at present?

The Mayor: They will have a chance to volunteer when they attain military age. The Act provides for such cases. Mr. E. H. Potter questioned whether the motion was in order. Should not the original resolution first be rescinded? The Mayor said the motion was in order. The original resolution referred to volunteers.

Mr. Potter: I think we should include the lot

The Mayor: I should be very sorry to see tho names of the " sents " on tho" roll of honour. The "wents"—the men now at the front— the men who deserve to be honoured.

Mr. Hudson: We should do nothing to discourago the compulsory system. If the Government had done its duty it would havo brought it in at the first. Mr. S. Burns said that undoubtedly volunteers deserved the greater honour. There should be two rolls of honour, and the premier one should be for those who volunteered. Ho moved an amendment to that effect.

The Mayor: I do not think that will be in order.

Mr. Shackelford: I move the previous question. I do not think we should have any record of this. Mr. Davis: I insist that my motion go to the vote. If you ask the parents of the men who gave their lives at Gallipoli whether they would like to see tho names of men who are compelled to go alongside thoso of their sons, I know what their answer would be.

Mr. Shackelford's amendment was not seconded. The motion was lost on the voices.