AGE LIMIT FOR RECRUITS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3163, 15 August 1917, Page 5

AGE LIMIT FOR RECRUITS

MOTION PROTESTING AGAINST REDUCTION NEGATIVED. The Karori Borough Council last night /"declined to join in the chorus of disapproval of calling up the_youthsof nineteen years of age for nctivo service. The was introduced by Councillor H. • 31. Drydcn, who moved: ' That this couuriil deprecates tho Government's intension fo caTl up youths of nineteen for Active service abroad." ,J •i Councillor Hondorson stated that from 'information that lm had gathered, the : youths of 18 and 19 from tho United ■Kingdom had turned out* excellent solidiers, and lie was of opinion that tlie New Zealand lads were every; bit as good, Si not' better.

Councillor A. Hamilton deprecated interfering or attempting to dictate to" the Government, who had moro information •than tho councillors.

The Mayor (Mr. B. G. H. Bum) said Ka heartily approval of calling up the youths, and pointed out that by the time ■thoy had completed their training, and .•were ready to prooeed to the firing-line most of theni would bo twenty years of age, oi' nearly so. Ho knew of six lads of eighteen who had gone with Now Zealand contingents. On the motion being put the. voting Jwas equal, and tho Mayor gave his casting vote against. The'motion was thus Jost. . RETURNED SOLDIERS PROTEST. ' The following lotter, dated August 13, lias been forwarded by tho general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association (Mr. Douglas Seymour) to the Minister of Defence:— "Sir,—Newspaper opinion has rocently suggested that the Government intends to introduce legislation reducing tho lower age limit under the Conscription Act to nineteen years. I nm instructed, to convey to you, on behalf of tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, an cmphatic protest against this course, .which-my executive trusts has not been Seriously contemplated." VARIOUS PROTESTS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Pahiatua/jAugust 14. . The Borough Council unanimously resolved to protost ngainst the reduced ago for military scrvico. Ono member considered there wore many men over fortysix in tho First Division moro fitted for the front than youths aged nineteen. Tho ■Mayor remarked that a while ago tho authorities ware discouraging the enlistment of youths under twenty, but now they wanted to conscript them. Christchurch, August 14. Tho Christchurch Presbytery resolved, to enter an emphatic, protest against tho reduction of the military, service ago. Mr. J. M'Combs, M.P.,'in an interview declared that 2000 men in some of tho ■ballots have not answered to,their names. The Government,. he said, should-tako steps to secure them, which would postpone tho calling up of tho Second Division. ..... 1