COMPULSORY SERVICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1495, 11 January 1916, Page 3

COMPULSORY SERVICE.

RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCILAt last night's Borough Council meeting the Mayor moved and Cr Stevenson seconded that this Council urges the Government of the Dominion to call a special session of Parliament and bn-?g forward a Bill for N -Minna . Compulsory Service in connection with the present war. In moving the morion the Mayor said he did not claim to be original in the matter as si mi La resolutions bad been p 'ssed to ! ■ Wanganui and other Councilhe was now moving it under .a sense of duty as he considered that until New Zealand got conscription - a great many men would, remain behind and shirk their duty to the Empire. These men were only skulkers and shirkers. He said he . felt very strongly ou this matter. They now had a National Government in office and pressure should be brought on it to deal with this matter at once and not dilly dally with the question as was being done at present. The Government should do its duty and make every effort to bring the war to a successful issue. The example set by the Old Country in instituting a system of compulsory service should be followed in New Zealand. , Cr McColl said that while he would like to support the motion he first wanted to./See better provision made in the way of pen- __ sions for dependents and wounded. Cr Whibley said he couldn’t see his way to support the motion. If conscription of the wealth ot the country was included then he would support it. A circular letter had just been read from Greymouth In reference to the 34,000 men who stated in their National Registration papers that they were not willing to render any services in connection with the war. He was one ot those men. These 34,000 men who "answered “no” were, at least, hopest, but could that be said of those who said they were willing to go If required. According to what could be heard these men - were required now, and if they were honest in their answers in the National Registration papers why didn’t they go. He would speak for himself, but in doing so he was also voicing the opinion of a number of other people locally. Let this strong Government that the Mayor mentioned conscript the wealth of the country in order ' to make proper provision for the dependents of those who lose their lives at the war, and they would then find that there would be no shortage of recruits. The men would know there was something to fight for, and if they fell that their dependents would be well provided for. Under present conditions if a man went to the war the food exploiters stayed at home, and exploited that man’s dependents. These exploiters were really worse than Germans. When New Zealand got conscription of wealth they would find the men would volunteer alright. He would oppose the motion •Cr Henderson said he quite agreed with the remarks of the Mayor, but there was also a great deal in what Cr Whibley had said. There were men with money in this district who were not contributing either men or money in connection with the war. A Councillor : Tell us a few. Cr Henderson continuing said there were a great many single men in this district who should go to the war. He would certainly object to married men going unless proper provision were made for their dependents. As far as conscription of wealth was concerned . he did not think New Zealand had the proper Government in to do anything in that way. Cr Bryant said he was not in favour of conscription. He agreed with Cr Whibley. It would be quite time enough to talk com scription when the Government made proper provision in regard to pensions, etc., but not until then. Cr Thompson said he would

support the motion aS bethought it was high time that compulsion , should eventuate in New Zealand. The conscription of wealth was merely an alter matter. The matter ' of service should come first. It was for those who govern the country to make provision for dependents, etc. Personally if he were eligible he w ould only be too anxious to go. He did not think it was right to blame all wealthy men because there were a iew mean ones in the country. Cr Stevenson thought that what Cr Whibley said was quite right, and perhaps the motion could be altered to include conscription of wealth. In any case something had to be done, and he would support the motion. In replying the Mayor said he quite agreed with Cr Whibley in a great deal in what he had said, but that did not touch upon the motion before them. Cr Whibley: Oh yes it does. The Mayor continuing said that the great question at present was to find sufficient men, and that conscription of wealth was quite i a different, matter altogether. Already in New Zealand over one million pounds had been raised by Patriotic Societies. Cr McColl: There should be no , necessity for that. The Mayor : If the pensions provided were insufficient, they would be supplemented by the Patriotic Societies. Cr McColl: Charity ! The Mayor : A lot had been said about the married men, bat according to the National Registration papers there were something like 89,000 single men of military age still in New Zealand, and these should go before the married

men. He would not agree to any alteration m tne motion while he agreed with some of the remarks of Cr Whibley the great object was to bring the war to an end as soon as possible. They mast, have the men. They now had compulsion at Home, and they Tnou-d have ir here. Cr Ab'C.T! ; Wat chc-.-.M Wt romp-1 me a —and do cothiru hv all lor them, Cr Co'ry ; Wh: t d.‘; V- I ' l think a •>riH ought to . Cr McCv ; T'r.sW- a iiome. O n V'/.e iir : -g E : W'ixift- r n r r i>ic voting <.;c pHcca m f r r minuses. The voting was : H<>■, The Mayor and Crs Coley, Freeman, Thompson, Simmons, Stevenson and Henderson. Against : Crs Whibley, McColl and Bryant.