N.Z. NATIONAL REGISTER

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 24 September 1915, Page 4

N.Z. NATIONAL REGISTER

BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT.

"PERTINENT BUT NOT LMPERTI

NEXT."

f WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. j In moving the second read Jig of j the National Registration Bill, the i Prime Minister in the House of Representatives tonight, so far as he was able 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 were going to do cur part in the great war we must know where we stand. During the war we had learned a great deal. Our troops [ man for man were equal to the troops iof the Kaiser and ■•nv Allies were in deadly earnest, bui we must recognise the fact that wo are fighting an enemy thoroughly organised and who can only be beaten by an organisation superior I to their, own. He however, was bound to admit tjhat except in the Navy we were not prepared. In the matter of machine guns Germany was perhaps better organised than 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 war upon a strong and j treacherous enemy. We lhave every reason to b e proud of what we have done in the past in the matter of sending men to the front, but we had other resources which we must organise. If" ever there was time when "Whatever our (hand findeth to do w e must do it with our all our might," that time was now. By January next we want 14,000 men in addition to the men already in camp. By that time we would have sent 25,000 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 stock-

taking." a census of the capacity. Other countries have done this already, bur

we have net gone so far as Prance. We are not a skiing for a census of wealth because that information is already in the possession of taxing departmentsInquiries are mad e as simple as pos-

sible. No inquisitorial questions areasked. We are not asking for a cen-

sus of women because they are already doing their part. The men of New Zealand have don e splendidly but the women have done even better. Many a young man i s in tjhe fighting line today who would not have been there but lxi s mother pointed the way. He r however, intended to give women the opportunity of voluntarily registering and he had not the slightest doubt

that a thousand women would volunteer for war work. The Bill proposed to provide for the compilation of a national register of men between the

ages of seventeen and sixty year s of age and for f,he compilation of statistics as to other persons. He heard the workers of the Dominion were against registration. He did not. credit that for a moment. English Socialists were in favour of that course and he quoted articles in the London "Clarion" as expressing the view s of British Socialists in that direction. Similarly he quoted interviews with Auckland" Socialists, who also favoured registration as he believed there were also a • great majority of wage-earners of the Dominion. The essence of theBill was contained in clause four. The questions ffaere were pertinent but not impertinent The Bill was not intended to give effect to conscription. He dfid not favour conscription. He did believe in compulsory national training, but if by any chance we were not able to find men he would not hesitate a moment between compulsory service and defeat The Registrar-General informed him that clause five was not necessary and he proposed to strike it out in committee, The Bill would bring horn* to thousands of young menthe clear f,ense of duty. By doing so he thought it would *ender conscription unnecessary. H e moved the second reading.

Mr Wilford congratulated the Gov«rrnr»«»nt on the introduction of the Bill. He thought no on* would object to the Bill. only r.istake n°,le was in it not being brought down soon 6>tut£h. Such a Bill was a necessity for e.i ery country engaged in the war. Ho did not expect to hear a discordant note against the principle of theNarional Register. Aiy siteratio •. cox steered necessary could b e made in committee. Mr Payne said he endorsed the pnnninle of the Bi-l. but objected to the "If not. why not? part of the question in referenc e to service. If necessary he would willingly give his services on the platform. Mr Isitt contended that the extremist must be ignored. He said that some labour were ,suspicious and distrustful. Ho ODOospd co-nßcriotion, but

it was-a* Question of savins Ifae Emmre snd *o save tbc> Emr.ire he would arat p'wvv that could cant? a !>a<=o.« jo c.-.n?'■.•-■'•■'■;nr> vas i n effect a feir ;;;.! .-—-niir;-h". ■■» «*»Vfl' ! ' to & 7 1, He

ing in the matter of wealth. He hoped | -the Bill would be discussed in a na-. iional spirit. " ; Mr Poole said the Prime Minister had struck a high note. He hoped the Bill would be discussed in that spirt. He believed in compulsory training. Due to that system, we had been able, to send awa| 49 many troops so expe- | ditiously. In-time of national peril men must be put. to the work they are most fitted for. National registration would -enable that information to be obtained. He would be pleased to give his best support to the measure. Mr McCombs objected to the Bill because it did not go far enough. It should provide a census of wealth, and net only of flesh and blood. He complained that in the questions to be asked under the Act there were impertinences. After the supper adjournment the debate was continued by the Hon. Bud- j do, who sa,id that on this memorable occasion in which we were making a call of the flesh and blood of the nation, ]he thought the people would cheerfully pay the new taxation for -war purposes. He would accept the Bill as it stood. I ' Mr Webb contended that war profits .should belong to the community. He urged that every effort should be made to lighten the burdens en the workers. Mr Poland supported the Bill. He j thought that if the war continued after next year some drastic steps wou2d be| necessary. He considered that the people did not rea.ise the urgency of the crisis. If the necessity arose he / would be prepared to support conseripV ticn. The National Cabinet should look the position fairly and squarely In the face. Greater efforts were required than could be made by the voluntary system. Mr Harris supported the Bill. He thought the Government should seriously consider before the House was prorogued, whether it was not advisable to proceed further. Dr Newman deprecated the suggestion that the voluntary system was not sufficient. He thought all the U"iU required would come forward. Mr Walker approved the Bill, but "believed that one or two amendments In committee would be necessary. Messrs Wittjy, Talbot, Field (Nelson) and Ell continued the debate. Mr Massey, in reply, denied any suggestion to the effect that he had endeavoured to protect the wealthy classes. The taking of the census of wealth ■would involve an unnecessary expenditure and would also delay the preparation of the register. The Bill w r as read a second time on the voices. At midnight the House went into committee on the Bill, On Clause 4a a discussion was raised "by Labour members, who to anyone being asked to give his reasons for not volunteering. The Premier agreed to substitute for w r orls objectr ed to the following: "If ttv»f3 ar<j any \ circumstances or reasons that pre/?.)t Mm from offering his ser/ise aforesaid such circumstances or reason s therefor." Clause 5 w r as struck out on the motion of the Premier. A new clause moved by Mr McCombs with th e view of taking' a census of the wealth, was lost on the voices.-:.' ■-' ' " " •''•'" ; The Bill wa s reoorted with amendments', and read a third time and raised. "ri' pr ; The House rose at 12.50 a.m.