COMPULSORY TRAINING IN THE DOMINIONS.

Southland Times, Issue 17244, 15 January 1913, Page 7

COMPULSORY TRAINING IN THE DOMINIONS.

QUESTIONS IX THE COMMONS. <Krom Our Own Correspondent). HOXDOX, December (i. . The subject of compulsory military training in the dominions and colonies ■was tile subject of several questions to which written answers were supplied last .Monday in the House of Commons. -Mr Clough (Liberal member for Sklpton, Yorkshire), asked the Secretary for tlie Colonies whether the mule children above twelve years of age of all immigrants Into Australia and New Zealand from the United Kingdom who are British subjects are laid under statutory obligation, to become conscripts, or to render compulsory military service, in those dominions after a residence therein exceeding six months. Colonel Seely (Secretary for War) supplied the following answer ;—Under the Defence Act of the Australian Commonwealth all male inhabitants of Australia who have resided therein for six months and arc British subjects, except Those exempted by the Act. are liable to be trained between the ages of twelve and twenty-six. Under Hie Defence Act of Xew Zealand all male inhabitants of Xew Zealand who have resided there for six months and lire British subjects are liable to be trained between *be ages of twelve and thirty. There arc certain exemptions from the Aet, t cannot accept the lion, member's description of those subject to compulsory training as •conscripts.” Mr Clough further enquired in which of ills .Majesty’s dominions and colonies there is any system of conscription or compulsory obligation to rentier military service, ami. in each instance, between which ages those statutory obligations operate. Colonel Seely's answer will probably be a great shock to some of those worthy anti-milltarlsts who have been busy of late warning people against emigrating to Australia and New Zealand because they may lie culled upon to prepare themselves to become efficient defenders of hearth and home. How many of these: busybodlos one wonders tv ere aware of the fact that all male inhabitants of the age of eighteen years and upwards and under sixty. being British subjects, .are liable to serve in the Militia, and that the Governor-(!en-eral may require ail the male inhabitants of Canada, capable of bearing arms, to serve In the ease of a levee en taassc •

if they uii - n their eyes to South Africa, what do they discover Why that every citizen is liable between ills seventeenth and sixtietli year to render in time of war personal service in defence of the Union, and is liable to undergo a course of peace training for military service, and may be reciuired to commence that training In ills twen-ty-tlrst year and to complete it not later than his twenty-fifth, though ho may voluntarily commence it In any year between bis seventeenth and twenty-first year. Of the total number liable to peace training only 50 per cent, shall actually undergo the training unless special financial provision is made by Parliament otherwise. But every citizen liable to training who has not been entered in his twenty-first year must serve as a member of a rifle association from his twenty-first year for four consecutive years.

In British Guiana the anti-militant will not find peace, for in that colony there are two militia units, and every male person who is a subject of his Majesty and between eighteen and for-ty-five years of age, is liable to serve with the Force. He may llee to Jamaica. but even there lie will find it is not all "rum and sugar’’ for, subject to certain exceptions, every male inhabitant of the island between IS and 10 is qualified to serve in the "Jamaica Militia Artillery." and If there are not sufficient volunteers to keep that force up to a proper fooling, the requisite number is made up by ballot. Kvcn In such "one-eyed” places as Antigua. Dominica. Montserrat, and St. Kitts-Nevis, the objectors to compulsory training would not be safe, for though the defence forces in these little colonies are in status and constitution volunteer forces, when those forties fail below a certain strength all male inhabitants between eighteen and forty-five years of age (17 to 40 ,in St. Kitts Nevis) are liable to serve, and the required number is chosen hy ballot. The Bahamas. British Honduras, and St.-Helena seem to be (apart from India. and the Motherland) the most promising havens of refuge for the antimilitants. In these happy lanuds. it is true, statutory provision for compulsory service does exist, but as there are no militia forces In any of these three colonies, the legislation in question may be regarded as Inoperative. Unfortunately these places do not offer any particular inducement for emigrants beyond their freedom • from "militarism.”