AN EX-MEMBER'S VIEWS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14196, 7 June 1916, Page 3

AN EX-MEMBER'S VIEWS.

---"If you .were in Parliament to-day, would you support the Military Service Bill ?' M asked Mr.1 David McLaren, who has represented Labour in the House, and only missed the' position last election by- a few votes. As, a cautious Scotchman, whoso chief busi.iess to-iihvy.is in the field of voluntary recruiting. . Mr. McLaren took up the careful attitude of declining to answer rroint- blank. But his views as he put them suggests that his inclination is to accept the Bill. He. has travelled from Whangarei to the Bluff upon bipiness bringing him into close touch with active patriotip workers, so that he knows how- opinion trends; '"Clause 83 gives a lot "of satisfaction," says Air. ■. McLaren. This drastic provision reads:—"(l). If the Minister of Defence is satisfied witk -respept to any family that; it consists of." or includes two or more _ brothers who 'belong to blie First Division of thei Reserve, and are not permanently Unfit for military sendee, lie may "at any. time "and from time to time after the enrolment of ,fche First Division of the Reserve has been proclaimed and directed, give or cause to -be given notice, to all or any. of .those brothers to *hpw' caiise before a Military Board;;why: they, should not be called up for service, with that:force.'' ■"M /Hastings," .remarked the.former Labour member, "I attended; a;; v farewe3l: v to- ihe' last of "sis

brothers who left for camp. This is 1 -one of the strongest arguments, in 1 favour of conscription. Families were mentioned by name,! in which1 there are three or lour strbrfg young fellows, not one in^ khaki. "I have not favoured conscription, and I fear it oven now," continued Mr. McLaren, ''but you cannot get an argument to rebut thn.se facts. They are incontestable. " I heard in several quarters a suggestion that _tke country ought to consider whether it is advisable to have an iron rule that singles-men shall go! first, leaving married men to*, the last. The argument is that in sdme cases the married man is better" placed thnn the single man. The former might be the son of parents of . considerable means, and if he went aWay, his wife and children would still be.-well off; and if he.'caisc". back wounded, his living would still be secure, whereas in the case of many single men, if. they return wounded,.all their prospects which they might have been working'-. :during many years to secure woulcM)e all gone." ■'.-'•-

Another useful point was made by Mr. McLaren. "I know/ he said, "that there is an opening now for over a hundred men with a Knowledge of horses, to constitute a veterinary eorpjs for home service. This could be formed of men not quite fit for service at the front. In many quarters it has been represented: to me that there is an iirgent need for systematic organisation to place useful, if medicaliy uhnt,^- raen into State service, in order to relieve others who can fill a place in the firing'line. We could utilise the services of thousands of men in this way." -- , .- .