MAIN BODY MEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 177, 16 April 1918, Page 4

MAIN BODY MEN

APPEAL I'OK A LEAVE TEIP. Another appeal on behalf of the Main Body men was made in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. H. Poland said lie wished 10 aek tue Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to do their best while in England to secure for Iho remnant of the- Alain Body men an opportunity to visit .New Zealand. This leave would, of course, have to bo givfiii after thi present push was over and our men could reasonably be allowed to go. In order to allow th.o Main Body nit-n to have leave eome of the mtn exempted as being allegedly essential might be sent to take their places. It was g.illing to the lathers ami mothers of sous ivlio had gone to fight to see other men exempted because of their being engaged in so-called* essential industries. Jie thought there was nothing more scandalous in tho country than these exemptions, The Prime Minister eaid that there was no one in ILo House more anxious than members of the Government to see the Main Body men come back here. Be had been strongly in favour of it when it was first mentioned. ' But when he looked over tiie correspondence received on the subject he agreed that it was impossible to overcome the difficulties. Anhon. member: They are ao'uig it with the Canadians.

Mr. Massey:. i don't think that is so. I know they.- intended to do it for the Canadians, l-ut it is much easier tor them, being only five days' steam distant. The* honourable member had said that tho leave might be given after the present push tfas. over. That would bo at the end of the present European summer, and he believed-he gavo it as his personal opinion only-that at the end of Vβ summer the end of the war would be in 6i"ht. It was his opinion also that if any of our soldiers wished to visit the ■United Kingdom before they returned to New ZeaJand they should be given an opportunity to do so.