THE CALL FOR MEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11511, 6 October 1915, Page 2

THE CALL FOR MEN.

FINE RiS?3:iSS mi PUBLIC SERVANTS. POSITION OF POLICE FORCE, [From Out Coriiesfosdent.] WELLINGTON, October o. The number of male employees of the Public Sorvieo between theses nt twontv and forty years i* according to a reeuni secured by ilio Hon A. M. Myers, the enlistment have been aa follows :-9«3 from depanmcutu under the Public Semce Commissioners' control, in which 2961 single won of military age arc employed, and 1420 from the Railway Department, where tho sin do employ eos ot military age mimbor lb was announced. from the first, adds the return, that* tho police would not be allowed _to volunteer for active service, thoretoro very few made written application to serve. A number of members of the force rescued and subsequently joined! the Expeditionary Force. Tho Prime Minister said that ho could not allow tho occasion to pass without expressing his admiration of tho wav in which Civil Servants naa responded to the call. The response was equal to 33.36 per cent of the single men in tho ordinary public service, and 43.08 of those in the Railway Department. There were no shirkers in the public service and thenexample, if followed throughout the country, would result in all the men required by the Imperial authorities being secured without difficulty. THE CLAIMS OF THE POLICE. Mr Anderson said that great 'honour was clue to the men who in their keen desire to enlist had resigned from the polios force. He hoped the Government would see that if they came back in sound health they would be reinstated. Mr Veitch asked the Minister ot Justice to seriously consider raising the unfair embargo upon the enlistment or the police. Notwithstanding the fact that a largo number of railwnymen had enlisted some had to resign to do so, and he trusted they would receive consideration for their pluck. Mr Payne- -stated that linemen from tho Post Office who had enlisted were informed that their enlistment period would be regarded as broken or outside the superannuation period. Dr Tnacker asked that all employers of singb men of military age should make it easy for them to enlist. There wero many trained soldiers doing ordinary clerical work which could well be done bv those unfit to go to vno front. Tho Minister of Defence shouiu play the game and allow men in his own department to go away. The Hon James Allen: To whom qo you refer? Dr Thacker: To tho whole of tho Defence Department. Mr Poole expressed the hope that the report would ba an inspiration to many who while they might not be shirkers might bo slackers. WHY THE POLICE MUST STAY. The Hon A. L. Herdman expressed regret that it had not been possible to give such facilities to the members of the police -to join the Expeditionary Forces as wero given _to other members of the public service. Cabinet had decided that it was inadvisable at the present time that opportunity should" bo given to members of the police force to join the Reinforcements. There were about 900 men in the force, a largo number of whom wore over forty years of agp. Ooviously they could not go, and if eppcr- ; tunitv were given to men under forty it meant that 300 or 400 men might leave r.nd so endanger the taicty of the ooun.rv. Mr 'Parr: It would be a, great j blunder. Mr Herdman: Of course it would. I | would not guarantee the safety of the j country and the preservation of law and order and property if Cabinet do- j cided to givo the right to go to the j front to members of the police force. He was satisfied that no better rearuits could be obtained than from the force, as the men wore physically fit, had had a certain amount of training and were j of excellent character. As a matter | of fact, owing to the large number of young men leaving New Zealand at present, groat difficulty was being experienced in getting sufficient suitable recruits for the police force, so it would be most unwise to allow the men they had to go. The Minister assured the House that every consideration would be given to those member ' of the force who had gone away. Hs ! was certain that the Government would ; seo they did not suffer any loss. j Mr Webb contended that tho cotm- i try would be perfectly safe if members i of the force were allowed to go. _ j Mr Jennings pointed to the Royal j Irish Constabulary which, ho said, had . been allowed to furnish a num- : ber of men for the front. He could not agree with the Minister's argument. Mr Glover took the opportunity to draw the attention of tho House to the patriotic efforts of the natives of the Cook Islands in men and money for the assistance cf the Empire.