MILITARY SERVICE BILL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2787, 3 June 1916, Page 6

MILITARY SERVICE BILL

. SUGGESTED 'AMENDMENTS. />•'., .By Telegraph—Prcs_s Association. .. „ 'Timaru, June 2. •the South Canterbury. Patriotic Society suggests that Mr. Craigie, M.P., should endeavour' to', amend the Military Service Bill, in Co'mriiittee, to prevent tho enlistment of married, men of the Second Division till the'men of the First Division are_ exhausted by voluntary or compulsion enlistment. After tho First' Division is exhausted, volunteers to be invited from the second, 'deficiencies to bo made up by ballot. The society strongly disapproves of tho voluntary enlistment of married men while single men are available on economic well as sentimental grounds. This applies in less degree'to nuiiTied men able to provide for their families apart from Government assistance. 'It seemed to society to be illogical to make two divisions under compulsion, and then permit volunteering from the second to delay or defeat the application of com-, pulsion to the First Division. Experience shows that men with large famiiios will onlist, -causing expense to tho Government and tho societies in case of death or disablement beyond the value of their services .compared with mon without dependants.' ' ■'' " ' ' ANTI-MILITARISTS'' MEETING." < Christchurch, June 2: At n largely-attended meeting of trades unionists held to-niglit under the..auspices of. tho Canterbury Trades aiid Labour Council (Press representatives beirii: excluded) the following resolution was carried unanimously:— .. ''.'That this representative'. .'iueeting of trade unionists, having carefully considered tho facts leading up to the framing of the Military Service Bill, resolve' as follows:—(1) That ive repudiate the pledge given by Mr. Massey's administration without consulting Parliament, agreeing to supply an oversea force; (2) that taking, into consideration the statement of Colonel Churchill 'that there were 250.000 servants attending British officers; the Empire cannot be pushed foi'men, and even so there is no iudication that the voluntary system has failed to provide the number of men promised from this Dominion; (3) 'that we are of opinion that tho Military Service Bill is not introduced because of the shortage of men offering for military service, but to be used purely for industrial coercion owing to tho restlessness of the people, due to llio high cost of living; (4) that in our opinion this measure has been introduced to detract the minds of the people from the huge war profits being 'made by coin-' mercial and other monopolists; (5) that llie introduction of. conscription gives the lis direct to. the repeated statement that the war is being waged to destroy Prussian conscription; (6) that this meeting of organised unionists of Ohristcluirch "congratulates the five members who opposed the Compulsory Military Service Bill during tho second reading, and urges them to continue their opposition to tho end."