AGE LIMIT FOR RECRUITS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13873, 15 September 1915, Page 6

AGE LIMIT FOR RECRUITS.

MINISTER, AND GENERAL DIFFER

NEW ZEALANDER3 |ALL RIGHT,

ANY WAY

(Fftou ot;it own Correspondent.';

Wellington, Sept. 14. Tho Minister of Defence referred in the • House of Representatives this afternoon to tko question of the age limit for recruits, a matter which has already occasioned sorno controversy, I>ot,h among military authorities and i amonf/ civilians. Mr Allen remarked that there was a groat diversity of opinion about the age [nt.'which' mon should bo sent to the war. Goaeral Godley. T said that .he j. \vaiiteti 4-lieiH young—about 20; years of :'.u|>sV ./He (the -"Minister) .did', riot, agree" with that: view. ; He' -coxsictered that from," 20 to 40 ryoar's was. a reasonable military age, and the New Zealand authorities were sticking to that. He thought tho mon coming forward now were as a rule rather more mature in age than the original' recruits. It was true that young men picked up the work more "quickly, but he thought they were not so well fitted to stand up to the strain. New Zealand had adopted the wise plan of taking men from 20 to 40 years in consequence. He admitted'that it was difficult always to a\x>id getting in men under 20 years of age. as some young man were much older in appearance than their actual years There were also at the other end of the standard men who were over 40 years of age. . . Mr T. W. Rhodes: And good men, too. Mr Allen: Any way, I think, taking tbem altogether, our forces are all right. We have no reason to be concerned about their qualities as men.