Age Limit For Military Service.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 17 August 1917, Page 4

Age Limit For Military Service.

The Daily Times Wellington correspondent writes: —It may now be predicted with some assurance that the Government will, in its amendment to the Military Service Act, to come down this session, ask the House to agree to the reduction of the minimum military age for service abroad from 20 to 19 years. If the Government does make this proposal it is certain to me.et with a mixed reception from the House. When the Military Service Act was before Parliament last year such a clause would assuredly have been rejected, but it is alßo true that some members are so unwilling to send Second Division men into the fight that they may now be prepared to accept the age reduction, so as to postpone the time of calling up the married men. No exact information is available as to the number of youths there are in the country between 19 and 20 years of age, but it is estimated that the number is about 9000. There will be amongst these youths a high proportion of physically fit, and it may be that a sufficient number may be drawn from them to complete three reinforcement drafts of 1920 men each if this proposal should be adopted. It is now assumed, therefore, that the calling up of the Second Division will be postponed until April or May of next year, and their departure from New Zealand until three or foar months later.