THE MILITARY AGE

Southland Times, Issue 17733, 10 August 1917, Page 5

THE MILITARY AGE

REDUCTION TO 19 PROPOSED. MIXED RECEPTION PROBABLE. to the Times.) WELLINGTON, August 9. It may now be predicted with some assurance that the Government will, in its amendment to the Military Service Act to come down this session, ask the House to agree to the reduction of the minimum military age for service to 19 years. If the Government does make this proposal it is certain to meet with a mixed reception from the House. When the Military Service Act was before Parliament last year such a clause would assuredly have been rejected, but it is also true that some members ase so unwilling to send the Second Division into the fight that they may now be prepared to accept the age reduction to postpone the time of the married men. No exact information is available as to the number of youths there are in the country between 19 and 20 years of age, but it is estimated that the number is about 9000. There will be amongst these youths a high proportion of physically fit, and it may be that a sufficient number may be drawn from them to complete three reinforcement drafts of 1920 men each. If this proposal should be adopted it is now assumed, therefore, that the calling up of the Second Division will be postponed until April or May of next year, and their departure from New Zealand until three or four months later.