CONSCRIPTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9824, 22 November 1917, Page 8

CONSCRIPTION

AUSTRALIAN SCHEME IN DETAIL. POSITION OF ]\LAR.RIBD MEN. The question whether men who had married since the outbreak of the war would be classed as single under the conscription proposals has been referred to Mr Hughes, the Commonwealth. Prime Minister. He replied that no man who was married before the policy of the Government was announced at Bendigo on November 12th would bo liable to bo called up. “The Government,’ ’ ho said, asked the electors for power to supplement voluntary enlistment by calling up single men and widowers and) divorcees between the ages of 20 and 44 years, without children dependent upon them, and no others. It pledged itself definitely not to call up married men. “The statement which I at Bendigo,” Mr Hughes continued, “'was quite clear. I then stated, on behalf of the Government, that ‘The Government will not exceed the limits _cf the authority asked for. That is, it wilt not call up married men, or any of the classes or persons exempt under its proposal.’ ” M» Hughes added that no man would bo able -to escape his liability if ho bad married, or intended to marry,- aftei the policy was announced. The Prime Minister was also asked to state what action would he taken with regard to the married men when the supply of single men 'was exhausted. 'Would a further referendum then he taken to decide whether -they, too, should he conscripted, or would legislative powers be invoked ? Mr Hughes replied that he did not desire too say anything on the subject at that juncture.

Mr Hughes referred to tbc exemptions under the referendum proposal. "Tlie position,” he said, “is quite clear. One eligible male between 20 and 44 years of age will he exempt in every family which has been, is, or will be hereafter represented at the front. If there are three eligible sons in a family which is not now represented at the front, only two will be called up. If there are throe sons in a family, and one is under 20, one of the two over 20 will be exempt, in addition to the one under 20. A familv from which one recruit or more will ho obtained under tic Government’s scheme, will be entitled to exactly the same exemptions as a similar family which has made the same contribution voluntarilv. Tic Government’s proposals set out what the Government considers each family should contribute, and if the electors endorse those proposals it wall exact no more from any family than the pronoßals authorise. "So far as only sons are concerned, they are not specifically as they were under the scheme submitted on October 28th of last year. They will be entitled to exemption, however, if they can show that their _ enlistment would cause undue hardship to those dependent on them. An only son with a widowed mother solely dependent on him, for instance, would bo exempt,”