COMPULSION WILL COME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1516, 29 February 1916, Page 3

COMPULSION WILL COME.

IF PRESENT METHODS FAIL. GOVERNMENT’S POLICY. Auckland, Feb. 27. The policy of the Government in regard to voluntary and compulsory recruiting was clearly defined by the Prime Minister (Mr Massey), in an interview to-day. He discussed the subject also during his speech at Pukekohe on Saturday, - and on both occasions declared that if the Government should be unable to maintain the reinforcements for the Expeditionary Force with volunteers, it would not hesitate to introduce a from of compulsion. “ The Government is determined to give the voluntary system a thorough trial,” said Mr Massey. “Up to the present, 50,000 New Zealanders have taken up arms, and so far we have not been a man short of our obligations. In view of that result in so small a country I do not think it can be said that the voluntary system has failed. The position of the Government is, however, perfectly clear. We have undertaken to send forward, every month, a certain number of men, and the Government is determined that its promise shall be fulfilled to the last man. Two months ago, at a meeting in the Town Hall at Wellington, I said that if our reinforcements were not maintained by voluntary methods, there would be no hesitation or hanging back on the part of the Government. The policy of the Government has not altered. Men must be found, and if the present methods fail, Parliament will be asked to provide the necessary legislation to enable the Government to enforce some form of compulsion.” Many of the local authorities whose assistance has been asked by the Recruiting Board have passed resolutions urging the Government to introduce conscription. Commenting on these resolutions generally, Mr Massey said that it was unnecessary lor the public bodies to record such resolutions, as the position was plain. There could be only one course if the voluntary system failed. As he had stated, it could not be said that it had failed, and the Government, through the Recruiting Board, had asked the local bodies of the Dominion to assist it to the best of their ability. Mr Massey added that the preparations for the recruiting campaign were proceeding satisfactorily, and as far as possible members of the Government would give their assistance to the local bodies. A suggestion had been made that the system of enlistment announced by the Recruiting Board would permit independent single men to enlist for reinforcements months ahead, so that the authorities would have to call on men with dependents for earlier drafts. ‘‘Definite provision had been made by the Recruiting Board,” said Mr Massey, ‘‘to prevent such a result. Volunteers who register for definite reinforcements will be asked to name a draft which will be called up within a comparatively short period. Any man who offers to enlist only after an unreasonably long period will not be accepted. Such men must be regarded as unwilling to enlist,”