CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 123, 14 February 1940, Page 5

CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

INDIVIDUAL COUNCILLORS' VIEWS

NO EXPRESSION AS LOCAL BODY

At the meeting 011 Monday night a letter was received by the Bop--0114411 Council from the New- Zealand Defence League requesting tins Council, as a responsible body, to express an opinion concerning the conscription issue. It was state;! that in the event of the majority of replies being favourable towards the principle, as it was expected fehey would be, the League would bring these expessions of representative public opinion before the Government. "This is a matter on which I hold very strong personal opinions; 1 ant whole-heartedly in favour of conscription," said His Worship the Mayor. "I would not advise as a council we should say that because we are representing the people of the Borough and avc can't bind them. As a representative body we cannot express au opinion." The Mayor moved that the letter be received. "The individual councillors could give an opinion," said Cr Canning, who added thai: compulsory service was the only fair way and lie was absolutely in favour of it. Cr Shapley said he was prepared to second the motion. The conscription issue was a National question and should be decided by the Government of the day. If the war is long it must come to conscription and if it had to come it might, as well be now. Cr Sullivan appreciated the Mayor's point of view that the Council should not make a decision in Its capacity as a public body, and said that different aspects of the question were seen by different men. In some cases conditions made it impossible or inadvisable to volunteer* Cr Caisley said he endorsed the remarks of previous speakers. For two years during the last war he had worried whether liis duty lay with his family and his business, or with the fighting forces. He had experienced a distinct relief when conscription was introduced. He did not have to worry further. The motion was carried.