MILITARY AGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12085, 14 August 1917, Page 4

MILITARY AGE.

THE PROPOSED REDUCTION. SECOND DIVISION LEAGUES' EMPHATIC PROTEST^ [Per Peess Association.?! WELLINGTON, August 13. Thei central executive of the Federated Second Division Leagues passed a resolution— " That this meeting, speaking in the name of their Federated Second Division Leagues of NewZealand, records its emphatic protest against the rumoured intention of the Government to lower the age of conscription to nineteen, and expresses strong disapproval of any impression | being allowed to go forth that New 1 Zealand lias had to fall back on the young lads of the country in order to carry on its part in the war, a s sucLfc would bo absolutely contrary to fact and a deplorable indication of official misjudgmeut and, further, fho league calls upon the Government to turn a deaf ear to all counsels of timidity inspired by financial interests, and legislate without further delay for the adequate provision of dependents 0 f soldiers, so that Second Division men may immediately set about preparing for active service." At its meeting last night, reported elsewhere in this issue, the Christchurch Second Division League passed a, motion protesting against any reduction of the military age. MR MASSEY'S STATEMENT. NOT CONSIDERED BY CABINET. ("Fbom Oup Correspondent.] DUNEDIN, August 13. to an appeal by the Women's National Reserve to resist a reduction to the age of nineteen for military service, Mr Statham, M.P., says:— ,e J am strongly opposed to a reduction in the age limit. Mr Massey assures me that the proposal for a reduction has never been considered by Cabinet. lam confident that the age limit will not be reduced." DOMINION FEELING. [Per Press Association.! DUNEDIN, August 1,3. Meetings of the National "Welfare Association at Dunedin and Ravensbourne to-night passed motions protesting against the reported intention of the Government to call up boys under twenty for military service. WELLINGTON, August 13. The Petono Borough Council to-night unanimously passed a resolution protesting against the age limit under the Military Service Act being reduced to nineteen. A PREPOSTEROUS PROPOSAL. An indignant and emphatic, protest was entered by Mr W. J. Morrell (rector of the Otago Boys' High School) at the reunion of old boys of the school on Saturday evening against the proposal to conscript youths of eighteen and nineteen years of ago for active service, 110 expressed himself as absolutely antagonistic to any Mich proposal. ("Hear, hear.") From his own experience he was quite cognisant; of the fact that many boys of immature yeara wore anxious to serve, but it was not right that they should Ibo allowed to go. Again, it was not, for us to keep up the reinforcement drafts for the future by making youths of this age liable under statute for military service. Ho was strongly of opinion that the. people of the Dominion would not tolerate such a measure—(loud applause)—and ho was sure it was not the wish of the Dominion. It could not but b<> considered monstrous to conscript th'o hVsb and blood of mere boys in ordor to shield older and more matured men. ("Hear, hear.'') The Hon SJr J. W. Fortcsoue, the recognised British war historian, had made the following reference to the question of boys of immature years being sent on active, service:—"Let us deal first, with the physical requirements of a .soldier. First and foremost, he must be mature; a man, not a boy. Otherwise, no matter howgreat his pluck, ho will never be able to withstand the hard work of a campaign. There is hardly a country which has not again and again filled up its muster rolls with children, and deceived itself into the belief that it was enlarging its armies, instead of filling up its military hospitals and graveyards-. Boys can, of course, do the work of garrisons within certain limits, but it is (to speak brutally) cheaper to knock them on the head at once and bury them at home than to send them upon active service in the field." Continuing, Mr Morrell said he sincerely hoped that, the people of the Dominion would not entertain such a preposterous proposal. (Loud applause.) PROTEST FROM RECRUITING COMMITTEE. On behalf of the Otago Recruiting Committee, Lieutenant-Colonel Stoneham has forwarded the following telegram to the Defence Minister. Wellington :" While realising the urgent necessity for keeping up our regular supply of reinforcements, the Otago Recruiting Committee can see no valid reason for reducing the enlistment age below twenty years. We cannot believe such a proposal will be introduced, but, if so, then wo desire, to entei the strongest of protests." VIEWS OF MAYOR OF AUCKLAND. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr J. H. Gnnson), in stating his views to a correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times," said: "The suggestion that the age should be lowered in order that boys might be enlisted for active service is to nry mind exceedingly illadvised, and I trust that the House, in the event of such a proposal beiuc made, will not for a moment entertain it. 1 have no doubt whatever that an overwhelming weight of opinion throughout the Dominion would he solidly against any proposal that would have for its object the conscripting of the boys of our land. If any serious difficulty is likely to arise in reference to our reinforcements, I am satisfied that the greater bulk of the community would far sooner see the maximum age limit increased to forty-eight years than that there should be any lowering of present minimum. There are very large numbers of men, both in the First and Second Divisions, up to forty-eight years of age who are absohitely fit, and who, having matured, are better able to stand a campaign than these schoolboys. In my opinion,

to conscript the latter at this stage would be bordering almost on crime against the youth of the country. CANTERBURY PROTESTS. At a meeting of the Cheviot Racing Club 011 Saturday the president (Mr R. C. Wilson) in the chair, it was unanimously decided to protest against calling up youths of nineteen for military service at the front before th© Second Reserve was exhausted. At a largely attended meeting at the Ashburton Borough Council Chambers on Saturday tho proposal to lower the age of recruit® to nineteen T -vas discussed some length. Mr James Cow said iti was not a fair thing to take a boy under twenty to fight. He would favour raising tho age, so that "old buffers" like himself could get ft chance to stand up to the Germans. Messrs J. Watson, W. Harding Jwd Mrs W. K. Wateon &\atx epoko, iind ' the following motion was carried unanimously That this public meeting of residents of the Ashburton County strongly disapproves of the Government's propositi to call up lads of nineteen for active service, and that) the members of Ashburton and Selwyn be asked to oppose any reduction in the age limit." The executive of the Methodist Social Service. Union resolved, at a special meeting held yesterday, to protest against the proposed reduction of the minimum age of persons eligible foi military service.