CONSCRIPTION ADVOCATED

Chronicle (Levin), 23 July 1947, Page 3

CONSCRIPTION ADVOCATED

WELLINGTON, July 22. The vo.luntary system of recruiting of 'cfefence' forces had iiivariubly failed to raiso thq..necessary irien in.tiine and- had expJOited tlio patriotiwn of the few, said Sir WiJliam Iterry (Wellington) in the Legislative Council today. He quoted frora \'iscount Montgoinery 's speech ai the Slate luncheon last week in whieli Viscouiit Montgoinery said tlie man was the core of defenee and the lirst weapon ii> war and that the Empire inust have trained nien. Expressing agreement with Viseount Montgoinery, Sir William said liussia - France, Britain and the Unitcd Btates had peaoetime conscriptioii and New Zealand could not do otherwise than follow suit. Last year in the Ilouse of Keprcsentatives, the word defenee was hardly mentioned, he said, and in the eleetion cainpaign the word was rarcly inenlioned. "It appears to me tliat both bides have avoided the defenee issue and eonscription issue. The tinie has coiue when the i>psition niust be faced, " hc added. It was noteworthy that for the first tinie in British history, Britain had adopted peacctime eonscription and that had been done by a Labour Govennnent which was to be eongratulated on the eourse it had followed. "Wo in New Zealand and tlic people

A " "■ - r.V 1 H all ovyr the world dar^ftnot let;'aj% tb^ore tinie go past before we prepatreyto perform our oliligations to Unlted :Nations," said Sir William wbo added that the critical time would be during tlid uext four or five years.