MILITARY SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11718, 7 June 1916, Page 3

MILITARY SERVICE.

THE BILL IN COMMITTEE. AGE LIMIT CONTROVERSY. amendments rejected by large majorities. [KUOU Oe* CoiUIESFOKDBNT.j WELLINGTON, Juno 6. Tho Government lost no time in getting the House d&wn to business on committee consideration of the Military Service Bill when Parliament mot to-day, only indispensable formalities being permitted to intervene. An exchange of opinions regarding Cabinet's attitude in relation to the House over amendments showed good feeling likely to greatly facilitate vtork in committee, which at best must 1» difficult. . Mr Wilford, at tho outset, surmised that Cabinet must bavo given great consideration to tho Bill and it represented opinions for which tho Government had good reasons. .Would the Minister take tho Houso into his confidence frankly regarding the reasons which weighed with Cabinet. It would help matters greatly because members wero hardly likely to swallow iniportaut matters without explanation. , . Tho Hon J. Allen gave this assurance. ''l want the Bill to emerge from committee as tho committeo s Bill," ho said. "Cabinet lias given the committeo a load, but leaves it to tho committee to suggest amendments. There is no party in tlie House, and so far as I ain no Cabinet on this Bill. I want members to treat tho Bill purely from a uational, not a political, point ot view, and bo just'as frank as Cabinet." 1 PLEA FOR DELAY. Mr M J Combs said that the House and the country ought to have an opportunity of considering the Bill in the light of the Minister's detailed explanation. It was not clear what was tho standing of a person described as a reservist yot not enrolled in the reservo. Other Bills less important tvere referred to a select committee with power to take evidence, p° moved to strike out from tie definition of " reservist" the words whether enrolled or not." f ill* Payne, supporting the amendment, suggested that there' was a hidden meaning in tho phrase. # The amendment "was negatived. Mr Witty moved to vary the definition of "medical officer" by including the words "registered medical practitioner." . Tho Hon J. Allen said that the words '' registered medical practitioner " were originally in the Bill but were struck out as they would exclude Surgeon-General Henderson. v Mr Witty said that he wished to see Surgeon-General Henderson included, but it would be an improvement if his proposal were adopted. The Minister explained that there were medical men on tho transports who wero not registered in New Zealand, so that Surgeon-General Henderson's exemption would be useless. Mr Witty wished to withdraw lus amendment in view of this explanation but Mr Payne forced the point to a division. MILITARY AGE.

Mr Witty, on behalf of Mr Malcolm, who was in the chair, moved to strike out the definition of military age (any age not less than twenty and more than forty-six), with a view to substituting " any ago not less than twentyone or more than fifty-five." Mr Okey, in opposing, said that many men of the ago of fifty-five were quite lit and willing to go, and this part of the amendment was worthy : of support. The Minister of Defence was over fiftyfive, but he would not consider himself too old to go. Mr Payne: We cap spare him. (Laughter.) Mr Hindmarsh declared that the work at Gallipoli was the toughest in the world, but a happy-go-lucky system provided no security that tho men were sufficiently mature to stand the strain.

Mr Ell asked the 'Minister to give absolutely definite, firm instructions regarding tho age rule of enlistments. Ho knew df boys of sixteen years getting into the forces. No attempt had been made to ascertain if they were sufficiently matured to stand hard work and privations. The spirit of adventur6 led them to vary from fact in telling their age. We wero jxtromely proud of them, but their bravery was reckless. Mr Poland said that he saw on In Memoriam notice of a boy of fifteen who died in Gallipoli. We also had an old pensioner in the ranks. A Member: He must be game.

Mr Poland: Of course he's game, and a thousand others are the same, but twenty-one is low enough to commence. T don't believe I'm too old to serve if I'm fit. Why refuse mo? ]\Jr Horusby: You're doing well enough with your sons. Dr Newman said that the most deplorable feature, of the war was the loss of boys. He could not understand why officers continued to be deceived. Registration details were complete for at least twenty years back, so boys ought to prove their age. The Hon J. Alleu declared that 60 far as he was able no boy would be accepted who was not twenty years of age. Mr "Witty: Throw the onus on your officers. The Minister: Yes, this Bill will remove all reasons for a boy wanting to deceive. It is keenness to serve, because there was a real voluntary system. We were short of men. Now that the fear of not getting men is removed possibly we can consider'giving a boy sufficient notice when reaching twenty, =o he may voluntarily enlist. Mr Payne condemned forcing boys to race German guns. He described the Bill as a means of getting cheap soldiers. SUNDRY OPINIONS. Mr "Vouch expressed the opinion that a great deal of difficulty respecting'the age of recruits would disappear when the Bill was on the Statute Book. Too many youths under twenty had born practically forced by persecution, largely by their women friends, to enlist under tins present no-called voluntary -v-1 fir 1. He thought that tho I!>; 1 1 -■. H i lb" Minister's assurance 111:ti i'<i i h(i under twenty Mould bo !>• • i'■ :it"d ' > join, would bo well advised to ;ill'iv.* the clause to go on the S'nliit" Iiooi: as it .stood. Mr Olcey : We want men. and suitable men. and though I don't believe in eoiiH'Tipvion for men umlrr twenty ; nd turty-six I think Midi iih'U, if iable and anxious to volunteer, frli■«u!<! lie accented as volunteers. Mr T. W. I'bodes expressed himself iriihatu'aily in favour of raising tho minimum to twenty-one. They could rab-o the maximum as high as they liked because ho believed many men over forty-live were better able to serve than weiv voutlis, tho greater proportion whom cra-cked up uuder severe physical strain. .Mr Jsitfc: I should like the Minister's pledge to stop men Under twenty enlisting. _ " „ Members * You can't- stop it. Mr Isitt: Yes you could, by making it a punishable offence for a man to give a false age. Tho member declared himself as being strongly opposed to increasing the maximum bevond [u'v-siy-M■■ i'm -.li■ With a proper course

training a man who goes in at .twenty is getting near twenty-one bofore no reaches the trenches. To my mind it is most important that young fellows should uot be allowed to leave New" Zet'Jaud without sufficient training. Mr Hindmarsh drew attention to the appeal made soruo time ago by Colonel Macassey that immature youths should not bo sent, but men mature enough to withstand the rigours .and physical stress of the campaign. Several other members spoke for ana against the retention, of twenty as tho minimum age. REMINDERS OF DUTY. The real issue, that of ago, became obscured till at 10.20 p.m. the Minister declared that men of twenty wero well ablo to stand tho strain, as experience showed that they wero usually twenty-one by the time they reached the trenches. A powerful argument in favour of retaining twenty was that if twenty-one wero made the minimum it would cut out 10,000 from the first division, hastening tho time when_ it would bo necessary to call on division O

Mr Massey protested against the scandalous obstruction. Was it a proper position for tho House to take up whon so largo a majority favoured tho Bill ? Tho demand for compulsion was strong. Only on Sunday in Wellington he addressed a meeting showing a keen desire for compulsion. Mr Webb: Was it a prayer meeting? , Mr Massey asked a section ot tue Houso to remember the events of last week. Thousands of men died for us in the North Sea. Were certain members doing right in _ wraugimg while the Empire was fighting tor its very existonco? . In justice to tie 60,000 men who had gone the Bin would go through. Mr M'Combs suggested that it was a question whether volunteers or conscripts were to bo sent. By 40 votes to lo the committee resolved to leavo the minimum at twenty. such a preponderance or representatives of financial shirkers w the House," said Mr M Combs, that it prefers to send young unmarried men instead of older ones who have dependents." , Mr Jennings warmly countered a suggestion by Mr Webb that New Zealanders, too young to face dangers, cried when entering the trenches. .Every letter, every report from the front contradicted'this. There was no shirking, no tears. Some New Zealanders migh be boys, hut on Gallipoli they behaved like men. APPEAL TO LABOUR WING. Shortly after the committee resumed this evening the Labour section again showed a disposition to block the Bill, Mr Hindmarsh, who demanded of the Government a definite promise to make ■the' same conscription on the wealth of tho country, moving to report progress, on tho ground that the people of the country had not been able to fullv consider the 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 the motion to report progress. Ile said that it was a time of crisis and it surely should be enough for opponents of the Bill to ascertain the opinion of the House and, having announced clearly their own views, allow business , to proceed. .As to the argument that the country had not considered the Bill, surely they were not seriously asking tho rest of the Houso to accept such an explanation. Had not the | matter already been discussed exhaustively at numerous meetings in tho recess? Mr Webb: How many? Sir Joseph Ward went on to declare that wherever meetings had been addressed overwhelming majorities had passed resolutions affirming the principle of introducing some method of compulsion in the event of the voluntary system failing. He scouted the argument raised that one of the Bill's objects was to obtain soldiers as being unworthy of discussion, having uo basis for its contention, and expressed the opinion that fully 90 per cent of the people of this country believed that if voluntaryism, failed _ it would be absolutely necessary to introduce a system of compulsion to fulfil our obligations to the Empire. (Hear, hear.) That was all the Bill proposed to do. Sir 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 the Labour members would not sacrifice their sentimental objections in order to ensure that men holding back, whether rich or poor, shall if necessary he compelled 1 to do their duty. I recognise there is a minority in the country opposed tothe Bill, hut in my judgment there is a powerful majority all over the country prepared to say this system should be put into operation, because they put the preservation of the British Empire first, and before everything." (Hear, liear.) Discussing the demand made by'Mr Hindmarsh," Sir Joseph declared that it was impossible for any member of tho Ministry to give such a promise. " If he asked whether the Government is prepared to say that any section of tho community not ablo to go to the front should contribute from their wealth, whether in money or land, T say unquestionably they must do their share—(Hear, hear) — and I say that at present they are doing a large share, and must do more." Sir Joseph concluded by earnestly assuring the House that members of -the Ministry wero all animated by one common desire at the present moment, that wns to help the country and help the British Empire. (Hear, hear and applause.) Mr Yeitch also endeavoured to persuade his fellow Labour members to relinquish obstructive tactics, but they remained adamant to all appeal and continued to enter a vigorous protest a trains t the further progress of the Bill. Mr Payne contended that by reporting progress on the Bill they would be obviating serious industrial trouble in New Zealand. A division on Mr Hindmarsh's mo-

tion was reaohed at 9.30 p.m., the motion being lost by 5 to 50. THE DIVISIONS. The, following is tho division list on the motion to increase tho minimum age:— For (15). . Against (40). Messrs Colvin Messrs Allen Ell Anderson Field, T. A. H. Anstey Field, W. 11. Craigie Fletcher Dickson, J. S. M'Callum Dickson, J. M 0. M'Combs Fraser Payno Guthria Poland Hianan Rhodes, T. W. Harris Smith Hcnare Walker Herdinan Webb Her r ic» Wilford Hornsby Witty Hunter Hudson Jennings Miic Donald M'Nab gander Massey Myers \ Newman, A. K. ■Newman, E. , Ngata Nosworthy Okey Poinare Poolo Kussell Scott Sidcv ritatnam Stowart, W. Sykes Talbot Veitcb Wilkinson Wright Young Pair. Hindmarsh Ward, Sir J. Tlie following is tho division list on the motion to increase tho a.ge to 55: For (13). Against (12). Messrs Anderson Messrs Allen Cplvin Anstey Ell Craigie Fiejd, T. A. H. Dickson, J. M. M'Callum Dickson, J. M'C. M'Oombs Field. W> H. M'Nab Fletcher Payne Fraser PoWd Guthrie Smith Hanan WaJker Harris AT ebb Henare Wilford Herdinan Hcrries Hornsby Hunter Hudson Isitt Mac Donald Mander Massey ' Myers JTewman, A. K. Newman, E. Ngata Nosworthy Okey Pomare Poole Rhodes, T. W. Bussell • Soott Sidey Stathara Stewart, W. Sykoa Talbot Veitch Wilkinson Witty Wright Young Pair. Brown Coates At- 11.20 p.m. Mr M'Combs asked tho Prime Minister how far he proposed to go. . Air Massey suggested the ce&sation or obstruction tactics. Nothing was gained by deliberate obstruction, ho advised. Mr Webb: Did you always believo that when in Opposition? \ Mr Massey: But 1 had always a very much better cause. (Laughter.) Labour members (in chorus): Everyone always believes that. (Renewed laughter.) Tho second section of the Bill passed at 11.45 p.m. without amendment. In section 3 the Minister introduced an amendment, exempting from the Expeditionary Reserve men who had arrived in New Zealand after serving with any of the Imperial forces. Dr Newman urged that something should be done to levy some sort of service or special taxation from enemy aliens in the country. . Mr Massey replied, speaking more particularly in reference to Croats, Dalmatians and other Austrian subjects in North Auckland, that an arrangement, which ho believed would be quite satisfactory to tho people of New Zealand, was being made. He could not, howev-er, go into details, and he asked members to accept his statemont.

In answer to a further question Mr Massey said that he could, not take alien subjects into our forces, but if it was possible for them to do some non-combatant service Cabinet would take the matter into consideration. That point had not yet been dealt with by Cabinet.

Mr Payne moved that men not born of British parents should bo excluded from the reserve, but the amendment lapsed for want of a second teller.' Mr Harris then moved the exclusion of men who are of enemy subject parents. The proposal was rejected by 41 to 8 and the section passed as amended by the Minister. At section 4 Mr M'Callum divided the committee on a proposal to confine Division 1 to unmarried men without dependents. This was negatived. Tho stated that if division 1 were classified the probable arrangement would bo:—Class 1, unmarried men without dependents; class 2, married men and widowers without children; class 3, married] men with one child. At the Minister's instance men who had married subsequent to May 1, 1915, were included in division 1. When tlie telegraph office closed the committee was discussing placing married men without children in division 1 MINISTERIAL AMENDMENTS. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 6. A number of amendments to the Bill have been circulated under Mr Allen's name. They provide that Natives, including half-castes and persons intermediate in blood between half-castes and pure Natives, are not to be included in the Expeditionary Force 'reserve, though a new clause states that the Goveruor-in-Council may extend the provisions of the Act with such modification as ho thiuks necessary so as to provide for the compulsory calling xip of Nativos for military services with tho force. The marriage difficulty is to be met by including men married subsequent to May 1, 1015. Power is to be obtained to mafio subdivisions of either the first or tho second, division. Tlie Minister will notify by registered letter those called up. Where an appeal has been allowed a fresh clause empowers the commandant to call up appellant if satisfied that lie has ceasecT to be engaged in tho industry he followed when exemption was granted. OPPOSED BY TANNERS' UNION. ( At a meeting of the Canterbury Tanners and Fellmongers' Union, held on Saturday night, the following resolution was carried: —"That this meeting of the Canterbury Tanners and Fellmongers'' Union condemns tho Military Service Bill, which embodies industrial conscription as well as military autocracy and tyranny in its worst form, j as being subversive of every democratic ; liberty. In the opinion of this meeting the Bill is a complete triumph for Prussian!siu. and we urge the work' l " of the country to oppose it in every | way possible- and orcryjsfcage.' j