MAXIMUM MILITARY AGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1567, 22 June 1916, Page 4

MAXIMUM MILITARY AGE.

REASONS EOR THE LIMIT,

Mr Young (Waikato) asked Ihc Minister for Defence whether, iu view of the House having approved (hat; military age under the Military Service Bill means “any age not less than 20 years and less than 4(i years,” (he Government has taken into consideration the fact that a large number of men of the age of 40 and oA r er and Avho are medically lit for active service, desix'e to volunteer for seiwiee ; and, if so, will the Government introduce legislation to allow these men up to 00 or 05 years of age to otter (heir services AA’ith a view to acceptance? “It is common knoAvlcdge,” he said, “that under the present, voluntary system a number of men of 40 years of age and over have alleged that they Avere of a, less age than 40 years and have been accepted for seiwiee, but under the (imposed law it will be illegal for men to misstate their ages.” Mr Allen replied. “The Government has taken into consideration (lie fact that a large number of men of the age of 40 and over who are medically lit for service desire to volunteer for service, and appreciates their patriotism. The Government has, however, to take into consideration (he fact that the maximum age laid down for seiwiee iu the Ncav Zealand Expeditionary Force is 40 years, mainly oAving to the fact that though the Department is anxious to avail itself of every able-bodied man offering, the consideration arises that men over (he age arc not a good invest meat for the State as regards their capacity to stand the rigors of campaign under the present trying conditions after the heavy cost of (raining, equipping, and transporting them to the front in large numbers is taken into consideration.”