COMPULSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11894, 1 January 1917, Page 3

COMPULSION.

AUCKLAND VIEWS. UNANIMOUS PLEA FOR THE BALLOT. With the Auckland City Recruiting Committee making apparently expiring efforts to retain the voluntary system, and with the No. 1 Group 200 short of the quota closing this week, the "Star** »ay« that the question arises as fco ■&« expediency of further heating tho big drum to obtain volunteers. Already *»f ;he local bodies in tho No. "' Group t.'io Newmarket Borough Courwnl has passed a resolution in favour of complete conscription, and with scores Pt applications before the Military Service Boards for the exemption of workers in "essential, industries." attention is drawn to the danger of the voluntary system leading to the departure of men who can he least spared. Views of representatives of local bodies m the No. I Group reveal that there is a consensu* of opinion in favour of the "businesslike method of the ballot." DLI'ITY-MAYOR OF AUCKLAND. In the absence, in Wellington, of tho Mayor (Mr Gun-son), Mr A. J. Entrican. Deputy-Mayor was approached. He'said that he was convinced chat had the ballot system been enforced when the hostilities began it would have been successful, and the conviction was stronger since what had happened recently in Australia, and ai Homo, where the authorities had taken over the control of the man-power, and would probably include the women later. He went on to say that, being a democratic country, New Zealand would be better suited if every man was placed on the same footing—to go when his time came, heedless of tho position he held. Tho commando system had worked satisfactorily, but he would havo preferred to have seen it in force earlier than it was. To have proceeded right through under the voluntary system would have been satisfactory to a certain extent only, as the cream of the countrv would have been taken and the "second-class men'' left. .In conclusion, he expressed satisfaction ai- j Auckland's position in respect to vol- I unteerino- to date, and suggested that ; after the holidays a boom might set m j In recruiting. j

START 1917 WITH BALLOT. Mr J. Henderson, when approached ' on the question, said the Povonport Borough Council were emphatically in favour of utilising: the machinery of the Act: and. in fact, some time ago passed a resolution asking the. Government for machinery to enable the ballot to be pur into operation forthwith. Subsequent to that, however. ropresentntivoH of the local bodies wero called to n conference of local bodies at the Town Hall, convened by the Mayor of Auckland at which a special appeal was uuKh> to local bodies to co-operate with the. City Recruiting Committee in securing the whole of the rccruitß for lUlrt on a voluntary basis. It- va* agreed that that should be done, and an appeal was made, and the required number obtained. Thait, however, did not alter the council*s opinion that the ballot system was more satisfactory, and they Bccordinglv thought that n should be put into operation forthwith, so that i-vervone would be given hu chance of Irving his country, and every selected man and the employers affected would hare the light to appeal. Mr Henderson pointed out that hiß councils experience was that quite a number ot men who could go never had and never would volunteer. Surely the better plan for 1917 was to start right off with the ballot, so that, everyone would be treated alike, and everyone would have the same chance. WAITING FOR CONSCRIPTION. Mr William Blomfield, Mayor of Takapuna, gave the council of which lie was a m-mber credit for carrying out all the Government's requirements in respect to voluntaryism. They had ] canvassed the whole ot tho district and j pleaded with tho eligibles to enlist, and j a great majority had gone. Those who j remained wore waiting for conscription, j The council felt that they had done ill j Jn their power, and would do no more, as the Government had the gun to fire, and were afraid to fire it. The eligibles knew their duty, and while they were determined not to enlist all the plead- ] jng< in the world would not make rliem i change their minds. __ j Mr Murdoch M'Loan. Mayor of Mount. Albert, said that the Mount Al- j bert Borough Council las a whole) wore ; satisfied to leave the matter with the Government. Although in sympathy with voluntaryism, he was strongly of J the opinion that conscription should he i pnforecd so that eligibles would have ! to enlist. He wa* a supporter of com- ! pulsion, to puch an extent that he eon- ' pidered it should have been enforced i earlier than it wn«, but now that it is \ the law of the laud be could see no Rood I to by obtained by further agitation. j A COMPARISON. '

'' A comparison of the position in Great Britain and in most of the overSeas dominions is no" altogether creditable to the latter," said Mr A. .A. Ros*. f>rovincial president of tin- Farmers' Tnion. ;i Whilst in Groat Britain they aro adopting the levy en masse to moot the situation.''ho added, "the Dominions are very far from realising tho magnitude of 'tho task before thorn. jiidgin.se by the situation in Canada and jn Australia, while even in -Non- Zealand a considerable* section arc inclined to haggle oxer tho conscription of the few hundred men necessary to keep up the reinforcements."' Ho wns quite satisfied that the Military Service frcards were carrying out the Act fairly, nnd giving duo consideration to the jn exits of each case.