DOMINION WAR NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16311, 13 August 1917, Page 2

DOMINION WAR NEWS.

REDUCED RECRUITING AGE. PROTESTS AGAINST THE CHANGE fc'OUTH CANTERBURY LEAGUE'S OBJECTION. The executive of the South Canterbury Second Division League on Saturday discussed the suggestion that the military age limit tor the Expeditionary Eorce should be reduced to nineteen years, and the following nasohitioii was carried;: —'"That the executive of the South Canterbury Second Division League earnestly ; hopes that the minimum age for mili- | tary service shall not be reduced below twenty years, believing that lads linder twenty are for the most part not suiiiciently mature to withstand the very severe physical and mental strain of active service under modern war conditions, and that the men of the Second Division emphatically do' not desire that these lads should fight for them." The president of the League, Mr E. R.. Guinness, sent a copy of the resolution to the Minister of Defence.

PROTESTS FROM OTHER CENTRES Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, August 11. The Executive of the Auckland Second Division League passed a resolution emphatically protesting against any attemptto lower the age limit for military and it will urge the Central Executive to use every effort to prevent the same. PALMERSTON N., August 10. At a meeting of the Second Division League to-night, the following motion was passed :—"That this branch, strongly disapproves of the Government's proposal to call .up lads of nineteen for active service." DUNEDIN, August 11. The following telegrams have teen sent to the Dunedin members of Parliament:— "Otago Second Division League urge you to strenuously oppose reduction of n<ie limit for military serviec. Our League nsk for fair play, no Faaiia>mentary hedging, and no hoy sacrifice."

"South Dunedin Second Division League expect you to strenuously oppose reduction of age limit for military service." The Council of Churches has also protested against the reductioni of the military age to 19 years. A mass meeting of citizens, at which tho Mayor will preside, under the auspices of the National Welfare Association, is to he held on Monday night to protest against the lowering of the age of recruits to nineteen. INVERCARGILL, August 11. A special meeting of the executive of tlhe Southland Second Division League, representing 6000 members in Southland, to-day passed a. resolution omphaticalry protesting against the reported intention of the Government to reduce the age for conlsoription to nineteen years. ELEVEN MONTHS FOR SEDITION. *. «. ,r BOTOB.UA, August 11. At the Magistrate's Court Thomas Fumeaiie and John Patrick O'Niell were sentenced to eleven months' imprisonment for seditious utterances

INSCRIBED STOCK BILL.

FOR NEW WAR LOAN

From Our Own Correspondent.

WELLINGTON, Aug 12 The Inscribed totock Bill provides for the inscription in New Zealand oi stock secured upon the public revenues of New Zealand. It provides for raising money on the security of and as a charge upon the public revenues of Aew Zealand, provided that such moneys may, in the discretion of the Minister, be raised by the issue of inscribed stock. This power may be applied to loans which have previously been authorised. The Minister may, on application by a holder of debentures, cancer the debentures and issue in exchange inscribed stock of equal value. The Minister is authorised to prescribe the times when such conversions shall be made. The interest payable on inscribed stock is to be computed as from such date as the Minister determines.

LOCAL CAMPS

f COL. CHAFFEY'S EFFORTS,

A rumour has gained ground that the Defence authorities have decided to establish a local camp in the South Island for the use of G2 and Second Division men who may be called up in the near future, and a '-Press" representative was told by an officer in the Territorial Force that a site or sites for stick camps had already been surveyed in Canterbury. Colonel 11. A. Chaffey, O.C. the Canterbury Military District, was seen by a "Press" reporter and questioned ns to the truth of these statements. From what the colonel said, it Mas evident that the rumours had very slight foundation, and so far as the C2 men are concerned it would appear that tliere is no likelihood of local camps being established in spite of Col Chaffcy's efforts in this direction.

ASSISTANCE FOR SAILORS

The operations of the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board are, under regulations by which the board was ■ rented, confined to members of theNew Zealand Expeditionary Force. The. Wellington War Relief Association has received requests for assistance by dependents of members of the crews oP two warships and of the Motor Patrol Service, and the Minister of Defence has been supplied with full details of the position of these dependents, and requested to so amend the Act that its provisions shall apply to th© dependents of n|)fral men. MTTXtTTONS AXB SUPPLIES BOAE.D The JTon. Arthur M. Meyers, Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies, when approached by a. reporter in regard to the. appointment- of the Munitions and Supplies Board recontly jxazoftod. staged that the personnel of the Munitions and Supplies Board is identical with that of the Supplies' | Bcfl.rd of Advice which has. as bis nd--1 visors. <j;rai.uitoT:sly assisted the Minisj tfi- *ince August. 1015. "The reason of the ehnn<re in the title of the board " said Mr Mn-ci-s. "is due tc the fact, that the ru-l ivitins of my Departments have, since its inception two years afro, multiplied in variets" to such an extent, that it was considered desirable 'For (lie oriifl-n.-O order nf i-cForonce for the Supith'rs Board nf Adv'ee to be nuiended So j;r to cover the. full ranee of business which is now c-nnciuf'terl hy tbo Munij ho:'." end Supplies Department/'

THE PENSIONS SCALE. STILL IN PREPARATION. The Minister of Defence hsiig not yijfc been able to submit to Cabinet his proposals for an amendment of the pensions scheme (say® the "Dominion.") He may be able to do so during llhis week, and he will submit his Bill to the House some time later. No legislation is requiredi to emiabla the Government to increase the allowances or the financial assistance to the dependents of soldiers. This m&.y lie done by Regulation under the Military Service Act.