"NO IDEA OF CONSCRIPTION."

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14697, 31 August 1915, Page 3

"NO IDEA OF CONSCRIPTION."

FiENTY OF RECRUITS OFFERING STATEMENT BY MR ALLEN. (Per Press Association.) ; AUCKLAND, August 29. "Wc have no-idea of conscription m out. minds-and 1 hope we shall never give it a thought,’,' was. the reply made'.--by the. Minister for' Defence .to-day; to the view expressed - :by ' Air. W. Ai, Hughes, Federal' • .-Attorney-General,. that the New Zeulandnational registers, is a modified form oLconecnption. " The purpose of', the■ register is to; ascertain' 1 the, resources of the .Dominion and , .i. certainly think it .should include- wo--men;” \- ■ ; ••' ■; “AV'e want to know;” .said; Mr. Allen, “how many unmarried men between the ages of 2(1 and 10 years have not enlisted and how many have volunteered but 'have been unable to, comply -with, the 'regulations. We.-U.-.o want to,know bow many men are available and how they arc employed. New Zealand is playing its part splendidly and'-the spirit of the people .is- such tlmt. there will never he any need for conscription. ' Tlie spirit of the. nation is sinking into the individual and those who have not already realised their duty Jvill.'l believe, lie 'led to thirds about' it hy the taking of. the register.’' ' > “Recruiting is, very good ; indeed, Air. Allen continued.. “ We lui ve epouglv hi on for the two new battalions of infantry ; and for. the Ninth Reinforcements, That is a wonderful record sml so Tong as the volume of recruiting is tiifficrent to maintain' the reinforce-,. ments'a contingent'ahead of immediate needs wdi be no-need for ■ any stimulus except the conscience of the people.” ■ : Air. Allen'said the national register would enable' the Government- to keep the industries d.f the country , going. Agriculture an<l the factories engaged in the production of military equipment were its essential as the soldier himself and it wqs anticipated that some organisation would .be necessary .