THE LABOUR SECTION.

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

THE LABOUR SECTION.

, Shortly after the Committee resumed in the evening, the_ Labour section again showed a disposition to block the Military Service Bill.

Sir Joseph Ward, who had resumed his seat in tho House after over a week's absence, urged the Labour section not to press a' motion to report progress. He pointed out that this was a tin-.e of crisis, and it surely should be enough for opponents of the Bill to ascertain tho opinion of the House, and having announced clearly their own view, allow business to proceed. Fully 90 per cent, of the people of this country , believed that if" voluntaryism failed ifc would be absolutely necessary to introduce a system of compulsion.in -order to'fulfil- our.obligation- —*■ the

Empire. (Hear, hear.) 'That was what the Bill proposed to do. Sir ■Joseph Ward added: ''I do,not,-believe in compulsion, and never have believed in it, but that is not the question before us! I don^t believe any sane people, holding the views voiced by Labour members, would not sacrifice their, sentimental objections in order to ensure that men holding back, whether rich or poor, shall, if necessary, be compelled to do their duty.''l At 9.30 the motion to report progress ~\vas lost by 5 votes to "50. Mr Allen reminded the House of the real issue \vhen he stated that the powerful/ argument in favour of regaining 20 was that if 21 was made i the minimum it would cut out 10,000 , from the First Division^ hastening the time when it would be necessary to 1 call on tho Second Division.

Mr Massey sternly reminded a section of the House that it was unseemly to wrangle while liien died by thousands for, us in the North Sea. In justice to the 60,000 men who had gone from New Zealand the Bill would pass.

The Committee resolved to leave the minimum at 20.

For the increase, 15: Colvin, Ell, Field "(Nelson), Field (Otaki), Fletcher, McCallum, McCombs, Payne, Poland, Rhodes (Thames), Smith, Walker, Webb, Wilford, Witty... • Against, 40: -Allen, Anderson, Anstey, Craigie, Dieksori (Parnell), Dickson (Chalmers), - Fraser, Guthriej Hanan, Harris, Henare, Herdman, Herries, Hornsby, Hunter, Hudson, Jennings, McDonald, McNab, Maiider, Massey, Myers, Dr. Newman, E. Newman, Ngata, Nosworthy, Okey, Pomare, Poole, Russell, Scott, Sidey, Statham, W. Stewart, Sykes, Talbo't, Veitch, Wilkinson, Wright, Young. Ihe proposal to increase the age from 46 to 55 was negatived by 42 votes to 13.

The first three clauses were adopted without cha,ns;e. Ihe Committee' were considering at 1 a.m. the constitution of the divisions Mr McCallum divided - the Committee on a proposal to confine the First .Division to unmarried men without dependents. This was negatived Ihe Committee was sitting when the Telegraph Office closed.