PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 935, 30 September 1910, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THE HOUSE. DEFENCE PROPOSALS. AGE LIMIT FOR COMPULSORY, TRAINING. - PREMIER SUGGESTS A OSMPEOMISa , In the House of Representatives last : " night ,the Defence Bill: was further -coil- ■. sideired in Committee. ■ , ' .' / ■ To Clause 4, which deals with the question, of (he constitution of the forces,'The PEIME MINISTER moved a new clause to the effect-that regulations made . under the, principal; -Act; might, declare'twhat classes of persons might bo exempted from transfer from' the. general training section to the Territorial forces,' '■' an<l; that - the. burden\of exemption shall lio on the, person claiming ex--emption. This proposal was agreed to. In regard to Clause 5, which provides that the maximum age in connection wit&s : :; the Territorial forco shall bo 25 yearsi ,'v Mr. EUSSELL (Avon) moved as an amendment that" the age. liinit for com- ! pulsory. enrolment should be reduced to 21 years. The PEIME MINISTEE said that he proposed to .amend Clause 8' so as to provide that.young men at presentbetween 21 and 25 should not bo included, in tho; Territorial: force,' whilst' also, providing- ; that young men under 21 liable to train- \ ing shall continue in training in tho Teu-r ritorial forco until they reach the age ot 25 years.' A Siraight-out Issue Wanted. Mr. Witty (Eiccarton):-Well, I will object lo that also. •' ; r A' : Mr. Russell: I want a straight-out issue. Mr. Malcolm (Clutha) and JBr. Fisher.(Wellington..Central) : thought that the compromise.should .be adopted; 7 The PREMIER said that Mr. Russell' 5 should, defer his amendment until the- . Committee reached the nest clause, which dealt, witil''. the' ago .limits tor. tho various.4. sections. If the -maximum ago in conneo-.-.' .... tion with the Territorials:was!reduced-to'Jv 21, which would, be the . effect of tho . amendment, it would mean that there; would bono.Temtoirial forco at all. „v v ; 1 Mr. CLARK (Port Chalmers) a6ked who.." ther a young man who got married when between 21 and 25 would have to con-. \ '.ttaxiß!m , t ilie.-'Temtonalsr.ffll:;ho-/.wM;2Sy'< years old. Mr. HOGG (Masterton) thought. tho Prime' Minister should :uso some discretion, and limit the ago as much as.-pas? sible. If the Premier wanted to make the Bill an • offensive • Bill instead of.a. Defenoo Bill,' he need only change the age to 25. " The amendment was not pa6sed in I* gard to.this clause. •• Z{V.'-'/V;;V

To Kill the New Proposal. •When Clause 6, fixing the age limits was reached, • Mr. Pcarce (I'atea) movea as an amendment to limit: the ago'for '~ compulsory, training to. between 18 and 21' . ■■ Mr. BUSSBLL' complained that : Mr, .•• Pence had jumped ■ his, claim. • , S? . Mr. WITTY" (Biccarton). moved a ._prior amendment, haying for ira [object the kilt^.' ing of the clause. .V.v »' The PREMIER said he felt that • hia •: proposal should meet the difficulty _whioh'\ had arisen in: regard to: the age limit.' ■ - Mr. JAS. ALLEN (Bruce) said, that the • : concession would exempt; 26,000 ay. from training in the general training «>&•••»— tion or the Territorial force.; •' ,-' Mr. MYERS (Auckland East) expressed" :: strong approval of the extension of' the age to 25. -It would be a mistake to simply play with the matter.. ; Sfr. ERASER (Wakatipu) said that the". ' extension .of the compulsory age ' limits to 25 years would cost only, -C35.C00 : per. . annum. '' . Mr. HOGG (Masterlon) was surprised. •at 1 the sentiments expressed by Mr.-'Myers, and felt that thb i, country?; was; really .: against such . heavy expenditure .; on i .militarism.; . The amendment moved by Mr. Witty, with the' object of killing the clause,' waa . lost by 44 votes to .22. .; ' .." . With a view of. having: a direct,vote" .. taken, Mr. Russell' moved an amendments that the limit: for compulsory training; should be'2l years instead-of 23, but if was rejected by 39 votes to 22. i Those : m favour , of 21 years were. : Messrs. Davoy, Dive, Forbes, Greenslade, Guthrie, Hall, Hogan, • Hogs,. M'teen, Mander, Okey, Parata, Poland, -. Poole, Russell,: T. E. Taylor, - . .Witty, and'Wright. . . : o' : : The compromise in regard to this: mat- : ter, of . which tho Premier. • had given notice,- was agreed to without com- • .ment. Tho PRIME MINISTER then moved in the direction, of'sotting up tho Home sys-*.. teni of military courts-martial.- He said , it was probable that in New Zealand, wo . . might get .a trained lawyer/who would-;, acoept tho position of .■ Judge-Advocate-..„• Gssneralin an honorary position. v This clause wns agreed to, and it was,? decided, on the motion of Mr. T. E.Tay- : lor, that tho inquiry, should bo. open -to the press. ~* X After the adoption of a olause proposed • by-jMrijCraigie.including drill halls under . '• . the - prohibition 'about '.•liquor?'considers;...•: tion of the Bill was completed, and the House adjourned at 2.35 a.m.

THE COUNCIL.

HAWKE'S BAY RIVERS. In tho Legislative Council' yesterday,; ; tho. Hon. J. D. Ormond. moved: "That • it is oi vital importance to tho Hawko's ; Bay district that a Bill should bo passed • this session to establish a Central UiverBoard, empowered to deal with the con- > trol oi tho rivers flowing the';;.® Hawko's Bay plains, and.that as such a Bill, at this stage of the session, can only be introduced by tho' Government, th® • Government:is respectfully, requested...to'y.,." bring in a Bill for the purpose." After some discussion the motion wa> • carried. ' ••i' FIRST READINGS. ■ The Aid to Public Works: and Land ' fy Settlement Bill, .and the Now Zealand g Guaranteed Advances . Act were received :■ from-tho'House : of L Eepreseiii-» +i --" " were ImHi 1