PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2789, 6 June 1916, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

WORK FOR THE WEEK

MILITARY SERVICE BILL

POINTS TO BE DISCUSSED

The first matter that will corno before the House to-ilay after the usual formal business has been disposed of will be the I'nuie -Minister's motion to the effect that tor the remainder of the session Government business at all times shall take precedence over all other business except private Bills and local Bills. The object of the motion is to prevent a continuation of the waste of timo entailed by the making of speeches on tho formal introduction of private members' Bilis, a proceeding that is utterly farcical in view of the resolution already passed a fortnight ago on Mr M-assey's motion, as no such Bills have any chauco of heiug passed or even teaching' tho second rending stage this session.

When the decks have been cleared by the passing of the motion referred to tho Committee stage of the Military Service Bill will be resumed. The short title having already been passed, the Honso will enter upon the discussion of tho detans or the measure.

It is expected that the Committee stage of the Bill will occupy the attention oi the House for at least two evenings As speeches in Committee are not reported in Hansard it be regarded as certain that members will take a further opportunity ot placing their views-on record on the third reading This debate, which will be taken probably on tho day following the conclusion of the Committee will occupy at least one sitting, Numbers of interesting, if not always practicable or wise suggestions for amendments m the Military Service Bill, were made m the course of the second reading f n i r '« 1° mt like 'y t0 wise i» that of tho definition of military ace which stands at present: "Any aae not less than twenty -years and less than 46 years. Members have suggested that the maximum age should be increased, and . others have argued O?thT a ge is too low. On tha other hand it is known as a as a tact that uien who are not vet twenty years of age have gone to the front, and that many who aro older than 45 are acth i' • will not crop up in ■the administration of the Aci wilf be the means to be taken to prevent false declarations ot age from being made. Some jouth may it has been suggested, liugef too long at nineteen, and other men may take a sudden jump of years to forty-six-. 1 his kind of deceit is not provided againstin tho Hill. -Along with very, many other matters, it will be dealt with by regulations to bo made under the Act The Government is committed 'already ■ to , al \ amendment of the clause, which includes in the First Division those men who were married after August i, 1914 Various opinions aro held as to the amount of graco that should be allowed. ;., ls "'lmittcd that men who married soon alter the outbreak of war did not contemplate the possibility of their being called upon for military service, but. presently a period was reached when a man who married knew that it was at least possible that his services would be needed. J. ho House will have to determine when that period commenced. Tho compromise is likely to be a term of grace of sixmonths, or perhaps a longer term. A shorter term is. not probable. Another suggestion made was that single men with two dependants or more say a widowed mother and little brothers or sisters, for example, should not be put into the irst Division, Tt imiy even to suggested that the First tiivisiou .would be classified. The Bill provides for the classification of Division 2, but hot of Division 1.

There is sure to be discussion of the clauses defining offences under tho Bill and prescribing penalties. Some members will baulk at tho drastic penal clauses now m the Bill.

A good deal lias been said already about examptions, and about the constitution of tho-Military Service Boards, and a great deal inoro is sure to be said in Committee.