QUESTION OF CONSCRIPTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16547, 22 November 1915, Page 6

QUESTION OF CONSCRIPTION.

OPPOSED BY SIR J. G. WARD. . BELIEF IN VOLUNTARY SYSTEM. (From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 20. Sir J. G. Ward told a reporter to-day that conscription had not been considered by the National Cabinet. As far as he could judge from the enrolment of men in New Zealand, there was no necessity for the voluntary system, which had enabled the dominion to respond magnificantly to the call for men, to be replaced by compulsion. Personally, he was not a _ friend of conscription. Although motions had been passed in its favour, he did not think the time had arrived bo try to force it on the people. If later on the voluntary system failed to meet requirements the necessity of the case would oall for full consideration of the question, and he had sufficient confidence in the good sense of all classes of the community to believe that in these circumstances the people would readily conform to the requirements which concerned the preservation of the Empire. "I think it is better to have the country united in advocating the full supply of men under the voluntary system," Sir Joseph continued, "than to create strong opposition by pressing for compulsion before we arrive at a time when a reconsideration of the present system is forced on_ us by its failure. Any feeling of anxiety in regard to compulsion being imposed, or any unrest on that account, is allayed by the fact that nothing-can be done in that direction without the sanction of Parliament, and no responsible proposal has been made, or eveji suggested, that Parliament should be called together to pass legislation of that character. Every single man of ago and physical capacity who realises what it means to possess such a country as New Zealand, and what it means to be attached to the British Empire, should see that it is his duty to majke some sacrifice and to offer his services here as men in other parts of the Empire similarly offer their services." No part of the British Empire so far had declared for ; conscription. It was the people's first duty in New Zealand, as in all other parts of the Empire, to leave nothing undone that was required to achieve victory, and he hesitated to believe that force would bo necessary to compel our people to do their duty. _ Up to the present there had been no signs of failure in New Zealand in that respect, and he believed that there would none.