DEFENCE SCHEME.

West Coast Times, 12 April 1912, Page 3

DEFENCE SCHEME.

INTENTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT. (ter press ASSCCIATION. —COPYRIGHT ; WELLINGTON, April 11. Replying to a representative deputation which urged the enforcement of the compulsory principle of the Defence Act, the Hon. A. M. Myers said that so long as he was Defence Minister, it was clearly his duty to see the law carried out. The Minister added that only a very small minority of the Dominion wore opposed to military training. In regard to imprisonment, it was not the intention of the Legislature that failure to comply with the Act should involve imprisonment, but failure to pay a fine brought about that result. The .majority of those imprisoned had served their sentences, but in regard to a few whose sentences varied from four to fourteen days, tho Cabinet remitted a portion of tho sentences. Mr. Myers added that every man who refused to pay a fine, was going to bo imprisoned, hut he pointed out that in the cases under review, each man had served a portion of his sentence, and the law to that extent had been vindicated .The amendment of tho Act was contemplated to provide some other penalty than imprisonment. The Government would endeavour to make the scheme an unqualified success.