NATIONAL REGISTRATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 22, 24 September 1915, Page 7

NATIONAL REGISTRATION.

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTEK. Wellington, September 23> This evening, in moving the second reading of the National jiegutration Bill tlie i'rime Minister said that so far as lie bad been ablo to judge the great bulk of public opinion was in favour of the Bill. Some features might require explanation, but this fact stood out—that if we are going to do our part in the great war we must know where we stand. Daring the past fourteen months we had learned a great deal. Our troops, man for man, were equal to the troops of the -Kaiser, and our Allies, in deadly earnest, but wo must recognise the fact that we are fighting an enemy who is thoroughly organised, and who can only bo beaten by an organisation superior to their own. He, however, was bound to admit that, except in I the navy, wo were not prepared. In the matter of machine-guns, Germany was perhaps better organised than Britain and her Allies combined. The position was being met by strong men in Britain. We had every confidence in the British authorities, we had confidence'in our troops, and in our navy, but we must not shut our eyes to the fact that we are waging a war upon a strong and treacherous enemy. We had every reason to be proud of what we had done in the past in tho matter of sending men to the front, but we had other resources which wo niust organise. If ever there was a time when "whatever our hand finds to do we must do it with all our might, it is. now." By January next we want 14,000 men in addition to men already in camp. By that time we will have sent 45,000 men, a result which, to him, appeared wonderful for so small a country. In order to do this more thoroughly we must have a national stocktaking, a census of capacity. Other countries had done this already, but wo had not gone so far as France. We are not asking for a census of wealth, because that information is" already in possession oi the Taxation Department. No inquisitorial questions will be asked, and the .Government were not asking lor a census oi women, because tiiey were already doing their part. Tlie men or New Zealand had done, splendidly, but tlie women nad done even better. Many a young man was in tho lighting hue to-day who would not be there but that his mother p'ointed the way. lie, however, intended to give women urn opportunity oi voluntary registration, and he had not the slightest uouot tuat .thousands oi women would volunteer'for war work.

The iiill, said Mr Massey, proposed to proviue ioa< Uie compilation ui a nation** register oi men ueDween ihu

agus> uj seventeen and sixty years, and ior Liie compilation oi statistics as to otner persons. He liad iieard that the workers oi tiie Dominion were against registration, but lie did not credit that ior a moment. English wer 6 in favour 01 that course, and iie quoted an article in the London (Jlanon as expressing the views oi JLintish boualists m that direction. Similarly, he quoted interviews with, Auckland Socialists, who also favored registration, as he believed were also the great majority oi wage earners oi the Dominion'. The essence oi' the Bill was contained in Clause 4. The questions there were pertinent, but not. impertinent. The Bill was not intended to give eii'ect to conscription, lie did not favo>r conscription, but he did believe in compulsory national training, but if by any chance we were not able to find men ho would not hesitate a, moment between compulsory service and defeat. The .Regis-trar-General Jbad informed him that Clause 5 was not necessary, and he iproposed to strike this out in niittee. The Bill would bring home to thousands of young men a clear sense of their duty, and by doing so he thought it would render conscription unnecessary.

Mr Massey, formally moved the second reading., Mr T. M. Wilford congratulated tba Government on the introduction of tho Bill. He thought no one would object to it. The only mistake made was that it was not brought down soon enough. Such a Bill was a necessity

for every country engaged in the war. Ho did not expect to hear a discordant note against the principle of a national register. Any alterations considered necessary could be made in Committee.

Mr J. Payne said he endorsed the principle of the Bill, but objected to the words, "If not, why not?" as part of the question in reference to service. If necessary, he would willingly give his services on the platform. Mr L. M. Isitt contended that extremists must bo ignored. He said that some Labor men were suspicious and distrustful. He opposed conscription, but it was a question of saving the Empire, and to save the Empire he would arm every male that could carry a musket, because conscription was in effect fair and equitable to all. He thought the register should be searching iii the matter of wealth, and he hoped the BUI would be discussed in a national spirit. Mr C. H. Poole said the Prime) Minister had struck a high note, and hoped the Bill would be discussed in that spirit. Ho believed in compulsory training, and it was due to that system wo had been able to send away so many troops so expeditiously. In a tune of national peril men must be put to the work they were most fitted for, and a national registration would enable that information to be obtained. Mr J. McCoombs objected to the Bill because it did not go far enough. It should provide a census of wealth, not only of flesh and blood. He complained that in the questions to be asked under the Act there were impertinences. Mr H. Buddo said this was a memorable occasion in which we were making a roll of the flesh and blood,of the nation. He thought people would cheerfully pay the new taxation for war purposes, and he would accept the Bill as it stood. Mr P. C. Webb contended that war profits should belong to the community, and urged that every effort should be made to lighten the burdens on workers. Mr H. Poland supported the Bill. He thought that if the war continued after next year some drastic steps would be necessary. He considered that people did not realise the urgency of the crisis, and if necessity aros© he would be prepared to support conscription. The National Cabinet should looic tho position fairly and squarely in the face. Greater efforts were required than could be made by the 1 voluntary system.