MILITARY SERVICE BILL

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5447, 2 June 1916, Page 5

MILITARY SERVICE BILL

SECOND READING CARRIED.

LABOUR’S ATTITUDE.

Electric Telegraph—Press Association. . Wellington, Last Night. The debate on the Military Service Bill was continued n the House of Representatives to-day. The Bin was supported by Messrs T. VV. Rhodes (Thames), W. T. Jennings (Taumaranui), W. J. Dickie (Selwyn), J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa), J. M. Dickson (Port Chamlers), Okey (Taranaki), Glover (Auckland Central) Nosworthv (Ashburton), Forbes (Hurunui) and Hon. Ngata (Eastern Maori), and Hon. Mr Buddo (liai-

JpL, Hon. Mr Massey .said the policy of the Government since the war began had been in support of the Empire and to keep the country prosperous after two years of war. No one could say they liad not done their duty, and that the country was not prosperous. With regard to the organisation of industries, he mentioned that instead of the census being taken next year, it had been arranged that it would be taken in October next. He appreciated the remarks of members concerning the marriage clause of the Bill and he could state that he and his colleagues were prepared to amend that clause. He also appreciated the remarks of the Hon. Mr Ngata concerning the Maoris and compulsion, and if the Maori members desired it they were prepared to eliminate Maoris from a portion of the Bill and leaving them to volunteer. He pointfed out that in the dark clays of the Maori war conscription was general in the Auckland district. The Bill did not at all do away with rolnntaivism, and he would say that no Bill that ever come before Parliament had received such consideration as the present one. The compulsory clauses of the Bill would not j be put into operation unless some j district failed to produce aquota. The : difference between their Bill and the ! Biir of Abraham Lincoln was that . their's made no distinction between the millionaire and the wage-earner, whereas Lincoln's measure allowed a man to provide a substitute or to buv himself out. The diffeience between Lincoln's war and our own j was that the former fought for free- | dom of the slaves"and we were fight- I mg for our own freedom. They ban I not compelled one territorial to go 1 to the war a.s bad been suggested by some members. Regarding Labours attitude in the House, he challenged the member for Lyttelton to* speaK on behalf of Labour. He asked him it it were a tact that at tlie ie©em meeting in Wellington, where a unanimous vote against compulsion was said to have been earned, many 05 the delegates present left the r °Mr McCombs: -That is absolutely :iBC : I was told that it was ao'by a member ot the present forces \th.o was present. M- Massev directed the attent.c of*the House to several resolutions carried and enactments passed in re

nutation oi tiif allegations t iot a.to no authority tor the -,encau o waTot the expeditionary tore**, believed the people had made great feiucrilites <o tta. but he aLso believed they would be called upon u> make greater *aci jn the luture He woukl say that the honour ot the country wa.s concerned, and that the bO.CMJO non who had gone aa a \ would be supported up to the las' man m the country, The State was entitled tor its detence to the services ot every n.an in the community. While the European countries were armed to the teeth, it foolish for Britain to go on depending upon money (great work that it had done.) and the voluntaiy wmv Dealing with the argument* concerning the conscription of wealth be stated the war was costing us a.methmg like twelve million,', annually, ami il some of the members’ argument* we r e carried out they should collect eleven millions in the country annual]y Of course that was absurd. He mentioned with regard to the Mill--\&ty gerv ice Hoard tiiati would probably hnd a Stipendiary Magietrate presiding over the tribunal. He further stated tha t telegrams were beginning to come mto him end other members of the Government suggesting that peace terms should be arranged in the not too distant future. He hoped there would be no premature peace, ami that there would be no peace until the Allies had administered the “knock-out blow. Mi McCombs stated he had the assurance of the secretary of the Trades Hall that Mr Massey a assertion that tf.er*) w. a* a division of opinion concerning the Military Service Bill was contrary to fact. IX t R FDF.EM A PROMISSORY NOTE.

'lh< Hon. O. W. Russell said he had -ir Joseph Ward’s authority for sayng that he hoped to lx- present at the third reading to lx* able tx> state- that •r,e Bill had his full support. The Bill had been given the most careful oon:deration. Members would note that telegrams in the newspapers sFiowmu t.he Bill had already caused a sharp list- in recruiting. However they haxl to redeem their promissory note, and the Bill presented an alternative hem Id the, voluntary system not supply the reinforcements required. He explained matters in regard tr) the taking of a ballot. The Crown was taking steps to claim exemption for their .servants who would be in r.-wme position a* private, employers. The Hon. J. Allen spoke at length < n the Bill and stated the necessary amend mx-nts could be made when the Bill was in Committee. The sx-eond reading was carried by 4P votes *o 5. and the Hniioc row