DEFENCE MATTERS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14128, 3 July 1916, Page 7

DEFENCE MATTERS.

(From Our Own .Correspondent.)

, Wellington, June 30. In the House of Representatives

many Defence points were raised this

evening

The Minister denied that any rich persons could exempt themselves from military service by paying £100 to join an aviation school. The refitting of transportsyAvas done.at the usual price by the Union Company, which got 3|per cent, commission on labour, or 71 per cent, if the vessef was not owned by them. The Government did not exercise its oonnseatory right of purchasing tiie transport Limerick.

Mr. Poland raised the question of the amount of separation allowance to married men in the forces, by moving a £1 reduction in the Estimatea as an indication that the allowance should be increased. He declared that the amount was absolutely inadequate.

The Minister of Defence said the Government's policy was to make provision .for a man with a- wife and two children. They did not want to touch the man with five children. The object of the Compulsion Bill was to make certain that rr.en with children ;-would not go to the front before single men. No special inducement ought to be offered to married men with five or six children. When compulsion was in operation and they had taken all the eligible unmarried men in a division, then they would send married men with one child. They could then deal with men having five children. That wouldbe at least 18 months frorr now.

Members on both sides of the. House supported the amendment.

Mr. Alien declared that a- married man with a wife and five chidren was entitled to draw £2 IDs 6d per week. The matter would be brought 'before Cabinet again. The New Zealand, pay for privates was the highest in the world. We were paying to-day over £49.000 for children alone, at the rate of sixpence per day. . Mr. Herrios suggested that the amendment should be withdrawn, urging that the object aimed ta had been achieved by the Minister's promise to refer the matter .to Cabinet.

Dr. Newiran regretted that the whole business should have be.en turned into a direct vicious attack on the Government. It was an attempt to put members into a hole.

The amendment was rejected by 21 votes to 17.