THE DEEFENCE BILL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10573, 30 September 1910, Page 4

THE DEEFENCE BILL.

•• '■■'; SELECTION ABOLISHED. . THE- AGE LOUT DISCUSSED. -.,'.. ~,r. By Telegraph. - (Erbiii Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 29. .A . few minutes- heiwe midnight the House .went into co'rtmitte on the Defence Act Amendment Hill, the contentions clauses of which, relating to the age limit, had been- held over. On the clause providing for the vlection by:a Magistrate and two Justices of-...those to i>e -transferred from the general training, section to the Territorials .forcei the Prime. Minister moved to add. the words that regulations may be made under the. principal Act specifying what classes of persons: shall he exempt from transfer. as provided by Section 23. the burden; of proving the claim for exemption from such "liabilitv to be on the individual. The Prime Minister said that the regulations '.Which would be made by the Governpr-iii-CVmncil would do away with the system of selection. It was a wide emlfse, dealing "with: classes, not individuals, bilt it was the only way out of.:'the : difficulty-' '"'" Tlie" words were inserted on tihe voices. '.":"' "Oh ; the clause providing that the ;ige should'be increased to 20, the Prijne Minister said that he proposed to amejiid the clause to met those who opposed the inclusion of those up to 2o years of age:;':' His amendment -would exempt those?'■'between the ages of 21 and "J-> at the coming into' force of the Act. but those'who were trained below those ages would he compelled to go _on with their training until thev were 25 years. "Mr Witty: That will not do. The Prime Minister replied that to keep'the age at -21 years would -be; a fatal' iuistake. for it would give only twoiyears' training for a man io beeoriie equipped as a fighter. There might as well be ho training:. In any case, no man under 21 years of age was allowed .to..take: u-> .ar-s-. ;"•"! in tjhe event, of "war the ci,ii. : : -..'.add have no men to call upon to take arms. :..Mn.fJ. W.. Russell said there would bei.il'straight-out vote on the age. He mdvied ikatvclause- 5, providing for the drafting of Territorials into the reserve on attaining the age of twenty-five years, .-should be amended to strike out 25.r with -a. view,to inserting 21. .■.tTJjjß prime 3finister said that the age should. ]je. "discussed on the next clause. for; if -the amendment was carried there was absolutely jio Territorial force at

all. ; ;j - :-.: ; ,Mr. A..s._MaJ.colm said, that ho hud o'pjst>sfjl'.-ihe; ; age of twenty r five on the but ho-approved of- the .- Prioi'e'j-Miirist.or's -proposal, which would gjjjre'foirf rears to organise the svsio a. - Mj; : -£.\}l- B. Fisher said that !:» wojilrj have preferred twenty-one years ,to^.we.uty r five years.on a straight, '.iii VotejCbyt he approved of the .r ,i :.d----nteilt;'j>ylii£h would successfully h-mc-h that ! Im." u\. to ' twenTA>diie years would ■ have :h:ye ' years''■training and even more :is.;•:•(!(s-, and in time of war those over twi-.r.y-one. -would he found loyal enough to ■ enlists. „ sMa-Mk W. Forbes said that tiv.o should lie a hard and fast liniii f.f twentr-ono rears. ■Mr C. H.'Poole said that the amendment: was worthy of consideration, out it-threatened too much militarism. Mr Clark said it was right to move slowly, and, if thought tit. in a i'.-w years to increase the training period. What would happen to a young man whtT'Was in the train inn crops and goi married? Would he be exempt? The Prime Minister said the young man.would have to continue his training; ••- ' Mr A. W. Hogg drew a pathetic picture of a young man, newly married. being dragged away to what lie called "those.concentration camps." Mr Russell's amendment was rejected. On clause 0. extending the original terms of compulsory training, Mr Witty moved to delete the words "is hereby amended." Several members expressed haziness as to the meaning of this amendment, which Mr T. E. Taylor characterised as one of the'most slick that had been moved for manv a vear. He supported it. Mr. Witty: Ix kills the clause. Mr.'James Allen urged the committee to'unanimously- accept the Prime Minister's jeoncession. which was. an enormous one, - exempting 26,000 men. He did not : favor conceding so much,, .hut he hoped the committee would be um'.nimous. Some other countries required two "whole years' service of their ireii. Nw Zealand only wanted them for 1H days, a few evenings, and -a coupie of Saturday afternoons. Mr J. T. Hogan said he had given :i definite, pledge to support military training up to the ago of 21 years, and he "could:go no_ further. The Prime Minister pointed out that when ,21 years was in the Act tlie Volunteer.force existed, but this had ■now--h°en abolished. Xobody objected to a younc man reinainii"z:iii the \ oluuteerginhtiLtheage of 30. The .amendment was'negatived bv 41 to's2. :_____