CONSCRIPTION.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7916, 9 August 1917, Page 3

CONSCRIPTION.

AGE MAY BE LOWERED. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, Last night. It has been freely rumored in the lobbies lately that the Government have a bill on the stocks which provides that the military age for active service abroad shall be reduced from 20 to 19 or even 18 years of age. Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, refused to make any statement. He neither affirmed nor denied the report. In the House Mr J. McCoombs asked the Minister whether it was a fact that the Government/ in order to try and avoid the cost of sending married ment to the front, intended to postpone the calling up of the Second Division by conscripting boys of 18 or 19 years of age.

‘ ‘ The honorable member will receive all the information when the bill comes before the House,” replied Sir James Allen. The Prime Minister states that a bill is being prepared embodying various amendments to the Military Service Act, but he stated that it had not yet been dealt with by Cabinet. He refused to state whether or not there was any provision relating to the lowering of the military age limit.