WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1917, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE MILITARY AGE

SUGGESTED REDUCTION

(Our Special Correspondent)

Wellington, Aug 23

The Prime Minister was subjected to some good-humoured heckling in the House yesterday in regard to the suggestion that the military age should be lowered to nineteen. Mr P. C. Webb, the Member for Grey, set the ball rolling by asking Mr Massey whether his own "statement that “ the matter has not been considered by Cabinet” or ,Sir James Allen’s statement that “ the Government has had the matter under consideration ” was the correct one, and the Minister’s reply was punctuated by numerous interjections and frequent derisive laughter. Mr Massey admitted the _ two statements “ appear conflicting,” but insisted '‘they really are not so.” Then Air Witty wanted to Tcnow if a Bill embodying the suggestion had been drafted and Mr Massey, in complaining of leakage from the Printing Office rather “gave the show away,” as one of the members taking part in the Minister-baiting put it. AVHAT HAD HAPPENED.

The whole truth of the matter seems to be, as previously indicated in these notes, that the military authorities, holding that well-ma-tured healthy lads of nineteen offered the very best raw material for the mauufa«lture of efficient soU diers, recommended the loweriiig of the age and that Sir James Allen submitted the recommendation to the Cabinet with a more or less favourable endorsement.

The Cabinet was divided on the question and the suggestion was being, held in suspense when the outcry from the public began. Mr Witty did not get his information• concerning the matter from the Printing Office, but there is little doubt his influence represents fairly closely what actually happened. The outcome of it all probably will be an amendment of the law allowing lads of. nineteen to go into camp and undergo the usual course of training. THE CANDID FRIEND. The “ Dominion,” which has made ample amends since, the commencement of the war for any excess of partisanship it may have shown in the piping times of peace, speaks out quite plainly upon the Minister’s lack of candour in this matter. “ The fact cannot be covered up that Ministers have been lacking in candour on this question,” it Says. . - It is a most discreditable tiling that Ministers should muffle and evade on a matter of this nature. The sentiment of the country is entirely opposed to the idea, and there is not one person in ten .who has given the subject any thought who does not believe that the Government is actuated in the matter by the lowest possible motive—that is, the shirking of the financial cost of making adequate provision for the dependents of members ot the Second Division.” Plain'speakiug of this kind from the lips of a friend should materially help Mr Massey and Sir James Allen in making up their minds. THE EFFICIENCY BOARD. The statement made by the Prime Minister yesterday in reply to a question put to him by Mr L- M. Isitt in reference to the position of the Efficiency Board did not throw much light upon a matter which is keenly exercising the public mind just. ' Mr Massey said the resignation of the Board was not in bis hands, but was being held by the Minister of Defence, pending a meeting of the Cabinet at which the whole position would be reviewed. The decision ol the Cabinet would be communicated to the members of the Board and then it would be for them fo say whether they would continue to hold office or not. In the meantime resolutions urging the retention of the services of the Board are pouring in upon the Government from all parts of the Dominion and many members of tlie House are receiving representations from, tlieir constituencies to

the same effect. Tlie general opinion < is that the Board will refuse to be j conciliated. 1 GENERAL GODLEY. | The sweeping attack upon General Godley by Mr C. J. Parr, the member for Eden, has brought, as was inevitable, a very spirited re- ! ply from the Minister of Defence. Speaking in the House last night Sir James Allen strongly rebuked Mr Parr for listening to the tittletattle of disappointed and disgruntled people and quoted the very highest l testimony to General Godley’s ability as a soldier, an administrator and a commander, j He read an extract from a letter he had received from General" Birdwood in which that distinguished officer wrote in the warmest terms of General Godley’s service, specially emphasising his ‘ .consideration for his men and finding fault only with his disregard for his own personal safety. . The Hon R. H. Rhodes followed the Minister of Defence with a warm eulogy of the General, with whom he had spent days in the trenches, and an expression of regret that he should have been so cruelly maligned. The impression left upon the House was that far too much credence had been given . to the stories set in circulation by ' some ot the Commandant’s less generous critics.