MARRIED SINCE THE WAR.

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

MARRIED SINCE THE WAR.

Sir,—ln reference to tho Compulsion J Bill which is now before the House, which includes all married men from August 1, 1911, to be regarded as single, and to bo called up in the first division. Is it justice to 'those who had married within the first twelve months of the war, and whohad married quito innocent of any desire to shirk tbeir country's call, that they should bo regarded as single and also shirkers? Tho Government might have known as soon as war was declared that stopping all marriages at once would have been a wise thing. Who were tho-shirk-ers? It was t'hoso who had married dur-ing-registration time, beforo and after.-

It is tlicy who should bo regarded aa single. I quite agree with "I'air Play" iii his straightforward letter. I trust that the Ministers in charge of the Bill will give justice and fair play to those who require justice—l am, etc., NOT A SHIRKER. ivaikanae, May 30, 1916. J rol . n a perusal of tho provisions of the -National Service Bill it would appear that the man who has enlisted and, teen turned down as unlit is placed on tho same looting as the man who has not been uear a recruiting office. As many of_ these unfit men liavo married after being turned down (and ' are therefore .classed as single uuder the Bill), it would appear that a grave injustice is being done to these men who are left behind through 110 fault of their own. Don't you think that, at least, men. who have married after Geingjleclared unfit, should be treated as marrieu men under this so "important Bill?—Iam, etc.,' . . HAXENNIS. . Sir,—Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West), by. his speech in the House, on May 30, will have the gratitude of the many who have erred, by being joined" in matrimony since the commencement, of hostilities. Surely the common-sense of anyone should recognise that marriages. ai;a not arranged a week or two before the event, but a. year or two previously, in order to save up for the "happy home," and to class these men in the first division,is grossly unfair. It was not until the Gallipoli campaign was abandoned, iind the New Zealand Division was formed, that men. began to realise that instead of reinforcements for 7760, with' which New Zealand started out, we weVo pledged to reinforce 22,000 men. Hoping Mr. Poole will have a few more words to say for the men who did not know: that this was coming about.—l am, etc., MARRIED 1915. Levin, May 31, 1916.