IF MEN DO NOT ENLIST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2706, 28 February 1916, Page 5

IF MEN DO NOT ENLIST

DAY OF COMPULSION WILL I COKE ! PRIME MINISTER ON THE OUTLOOK B7 Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, February 27. » The policy of the Government in regard to voluntary and compulsory recruiting was clearly defined by tho Prime Minister (Mr. Miissey), in ari interview to-day. He discussed- the subject also ■during his speech at Pn'lsekohe on Saturday, and on both occasions declared that if tho Government should be unable to maintain the reinforcements for ' thn Expeditionary Force with volunteers, it would not hesitate to introduce a form of compulsion. "The Government is determined to give the voluntary system a thorough trial," said Mr. Masse.v. "Tip to the present, o0 ( C00 New Zealanders have taken up arms, and so far r.e have-not been a man short of our obligations. In view of that result in so f»nall_a country I do not think it can be said that the voluntary system has failed, Tho position of the is, however, perfectly clear. AVe haveundertaken to send ' forward, every 'month, a, certain number of men, and the "Government is determined that its oromise shall be fulfilled to the last, man. Two months ago, at a meeting in Che Town Hall at Wellington, I' said tnat if our reinforcements were not* maintained by voluntary methods, there would be no hesitation or hanging back on the part of the Government. The policy of tho Government has i.ot altefed. Men must be found, and if the present methods fail]' Parliament will be asked to provide the necessary legislation to enable the Government to enforce some form of compulsion." . Many of the local authorities whose assistance luas been asked by tho Recruiting Board have passed .resolutions urging the Government to introduce conscription. Commenting on these resolutions generally, Mr. iiMassey said that it was unnecessary for the public bodies to record, such resolutions, as the;position 'was plain. There could be only one course if the voluntary system failed." As he had stated, it could not be said that it had failed, and tho Government, through the Recruiting Loard, had asked the local bodies of . the Dominion to assist it to the hest of. their Mr. Massey added thattho preparations for tho recruiting campaign were proceeding satisfactorily, and as far as possible members of the' Government would give their asi Bistahce to tlie local bodies. A suggestion hfid been made' that the system of enlistment 'announced by the Recruiting. Board would permit independent , Eingle men to enlist for reinforcements months .ahead, so that the authorities would have to call on men with dependents for earlier drafts. "Definite provision has been -made by the Recruiting Board," said Mr. Massey, 'to prevent such a result. Volunteers who register for definite reinforcements will be asked to name a draft which will be called up within a comparatively short -period. Any man who offers to enlist only after an unreasonably long period will not be accepred. Such men must be regarded as unwilling to enlist."